


Teela's Visitor

by foxy11814



Category: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-08 09:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 61
Words: 209,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxy11814/pseuds/foxy11814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teela is MIA, and Adam's determined to find out why and help. Neither expects the results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Helping Teela

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so someone asked me to write this. She told me not to worry naming her, so I'm not sure if she would have a problem if I did, so I'm just going to say that someone gave me the topic. It's a little unconventional in He-Man fanfiction, so I agreed. I figured it had potential and she let me go anywhere I wanted to take it. So…you know who you are, thanks for giving me the topic. I hope you enjoy this story and where I took it. I tried my best.
> 
> Warning: If you have a problem reading about women's health issues, then you really don't need to read this, LOL. Also, even though this is rated T, any kiddies under 16 probably shouldn't read. This is a romance and it gets slightly graphic despite the topic. You've been warned!

Teela's Visitor

He-Man stood on the drawbridge of Castle Grayskull and smiled at his companions. Once again, his friends and he had prevented Skeletor from obtaining access to the castle and its secrets. Currently, Man-at-Arms was using a port-a-prison to make sure Clawful and Mer-Man weren't going anywhere. Orko was flying up to the Sorceress who was standing at the castle window. Battlecat was running back from the forest after having chased Beastman away. Only one of his usual companions was missing and he knew Man-at-Arms had probably told her of the attack so he wondered why she wasn't there.

"Duncan, where's Teela?" he asked, as he walked up to the arms specialist, who was currently loading their prisoners into the AttakTrak.

Duncan looked back at him after he had shut the back door and answered, "Teela said she was feeling a little under the weather today, so she stayed behind."

He-Man nodded and didn't say anything. Duncan didn't seem to be nervous, so he didn't want to show any anxiety either, but on the inside, his concern was running rampant. "Teela's never sick," he thought to himself. Since it was the morning hours, he hoped he would see her later in the day and feeling much better.

=)=)=)

Prince Adam stood in the courtyard and surveyed the area. It was time for his combat lesson and just like at the battle, Teela was nowhere in sight. He sat down on one of the benches and decided to wait for a little while. He glanced down at his pet and said, "I'm worried, Cringer—it's not like Teela to miss a combat lesson. I wonder…"

Suddenly, he paused. He thought about what day it was and closed his eyes as he berated himself. Of course. It almost had to be that.

Quickly, he stood and said, "I'm going to go see Teela. Cover for me if anyone asks."

When the tiger agreed, he ran inside and headed towards the Royal Wing. Man-at-Arms and Teela had rooms in their section of the palace, because it was good to have additional guards close in case something happened during the night hours.

As he walked through the halls, he cautiously approached Teela's door and looked around slowly to make sure no one was watching. After assuring himself that he was alone, he lifted a hand and knocked on the door softly. He was greeted by silence. At that point, he almost walked away. He figured if she wanted visitors, she would have responded to his knocking, but then pictures of Teela being sick or hurt inside the room bombarded his mind. So many things could prevent her from answering the door, especially if he was wrong about the cause and she really was sick.

Having made his decision, he tried the knob and found the door unlocked. He opened it partially and then looked around again to make sure no one was watching. He knew how this would look if someone saw him enter Teela's room and for that reason, it was forbidden regardless of how innocent his actions might be…but at that particular moment, he didn't care.

Quietly, he slipped into the room. The first place he looked was at her bed, and he almost panicked when he didn't see her, but a moment later he spotted her lying down on the couch. "Teela?" he whispered as he walked across the room towards her. Still, she didn't respond—she was asleep.

Dropping to his knees, Adam sat down and watched the sleeping beauty before him. A smile immediately came to his lips. Teela was beautiful in repose. Well, truthfully, she was beautiful at any time, but he especially liked the moments when he could just stare at her without her knowing. He loved the way her red hair stood out against her creamy skin. He even loved the slope of her neck as much as the length and smoothness of her shapely legs…

Like he always did for the past several years, he sighed as he thought about why he now had to steal glances of her when she wasn't paying attention: their relationship had changed. When they were very young, Teela and he had been playmates. They used to do everything together, and throughout those childhood years, they had built a friendship of mutual trust and respect. When she had caught him staring at her back then, he had easily brushed it off by pretending that he had been teasing her. It was accepted and expected since they were so close at that time, but he couldn't do that anymore. Everything changed once he got the Sword of Power.

Adam wasn't sure what initially started the withering of their friendship, but he knew a large reason was He-Man on so many different levels. The first time the hero had shown up, he knew Teela had been in awe of him, and he couldn't blame her. He really did seem to be larger than life to others, and he had wanted it that way. At the time, though, he had hoped the hero worship would fade in a few weeks but it hadn't. For months, Teela talked about He-Man nonstop to him and her father. He supposed it was a little silly considering he was He-Man, but he had been jealous. Why hadn't she ever talked about his true self that way?

Regardless, eventually Teela had calmed down and "He-Man" stopped being a part of her vocabulary every second of the day, but by that time, he had established his characters: He-Man was the ideal hero who could do no wrong and Adam was the sometimes foolish and carefree prince. And, unfortunately for him, the person Adam had become seemed to disgust her. She constantly berated him for being late or sleeping in. Sometimes when she hadn't known he was nearby, he had heard her complaining about him to her father, and sometimes she had even complained to his.

The person that Adam was now didn't stand a chance to be with the Captain of the Guard—he was an embarrassment after all, so all he could do was look at her from afar and daydream…which was really easy to do at this particular moment.

Adam raked his appreciative eyes over Teela's body and noticed that the captain wasn't in her standard guard outfit. Instead, she was in a pink nightgown that went all the way to her feet. Despite it covering her so modestly, he found the garment to be extremely sexy. He wanted to reach out and touch it, especially since it looked like it was made of silk. He lifted his hand to do exactly that when he heard Teela groan and her eyes opened suddenly.

Green eyes met blue, and immediately Teela let out a horrifying scream that rung throughout the room and his ears! Instantly, Adam fell back on his butt and let out a little holler of his own in response. "Teela, it's me!" he then said quickly to calm her.

"Adam!" exclaimed Teela as she sat up, but she couldn't get any farther because she quickly groaned again and hunched over, grabbing her midsection.

"Teela, are you all right?" he asked as he got back on his knees and moved towards her.

Teela merely shook her head—right now she was in too much pain to respond. Adam saw this and decided to take a chance. He immediately got to his feet, bent over, slipped one arm around her back, the other under her knees, and picked her up.

"ADAM!" she screamed again.

The prince widened his eyes at her. "If you keep screaming, Teela, everyone is going to know I'm in here and we'll both be in hot water."

She immediately quieted down and asked more calmly, "What are you doing?"

Adam carried her to the bed and laid her down. "I'm helping you." He crawled into the bed behind her, pulled her back against his chest, and wrapped his right arm around her waist. "It's that time, isn't it?" he asked as he slipped his hand to her lower abdomen right above her nether region and began to massage.

Almost instantly, Teela gasped and closed her eyes. After several minutes of Adam kneading that portion of her body thoroughly, Teela relaxed enough to ask, "How did you know?"

Adam lifted his head from her pillow, placed his head beside hers, and cradled it against her shoulder and neck. "I knew how it used to bother you when we were younger. That's the only time I ever saw you miss any appointments. When it happened today, and I knew it was around this time, I figured it must be particularly painful this month."

Teela glanced at him as best as she could since he was so close and had basically immobilized her with his position. "You know when it's…my time?" she squeaked. She sounded genuinely surprised and a little embarrassed.

"Of course, I do," he whispered. He turned his head slightly and kissed her on the cheek. "You're particularly brutal on those days, so I keep track so I can avoid our combat lessons." He laughed playfully and Teela joined him.

"Oh, Adam, I don't know whether to be furious or relieved right now," she replied, "but I must admit you do have magic fingers, so I'm grateful that you're here."

Adam smiled and kissed her cheek again. "Anytime, Teela," he whispered. Then, after several more minutes of massaging, he asked, "Better?"

"Much," she answered. "Thank you."

At that moment, Adam relaxed his body against hers. Eventually, though, he expanded his touch to her belly, but this time, he didn't massage. Instead, he simply rubbed her in gentle circles absentmindedly.

Teela gasped in pleasure and subconsciously pressed her back tightly against his chest. "Adam," she whispered, "what are you doing?"

The prince jumped a little, but then smiled when he realized what he was doing and that she hadn't pushed him away. He replied, "I'm giving you a rub now." Slowly, Adam made his circles bigger and bigger until finally his thumb and index finger brushed the underside of her breasts every time he traveled up her body. He loved the way the silk brushed against her skin and smoothed under his fingers. It was almost mesmerizing.

After several times of this happening, Teela let out a soft moan which he could tell was different from the painful groans he had heard from her earlier. He immediately closed his eyes and mumbled, "Ancients, Teela, I want to touch you so badly."

The captain quickly stiffened in his arms, and Adam realized he had spoken aloud. He pulled away, feeling like a complete fool. "I'm sorry, Teela," he spoke hurriedly; "I didn't mean to say that." He couldn't believe he had said that out loud. "Stupid, stupid," he told himself fiercely.

As he slid across Teela's bed on the other side, prepared to leave, Teela lay on her back and whispered, "I wanted you to touch me, too."

He barely heard the whisper but he did. "You do?" he gasped as he widened her eyes.

Teela bit her bottom lip slightly, nodded, and lowered her eyes from his as her pale skin turned a rosy red.

Adam knew he was at a crossroad—he knew he could play it safe and leave the room, or he could take the opportunity it sounded like she was giving him. Slowly, Adam sat back down on the bed and slid next to her again.

Hesitantly, he reached out a hand and placed it on her belly again. This time instead of circling his hand, he raked it straight up her body until his hand settled between her breasts. Both started breathing heavily at this moment, but neither budged. Then, Adam shot his hand up to her face and pushed lightly on her chin to get her to look at him.

When their eyes met, Adam asked, "Are you sure? I mean, obviously, we can't…do anything, anyway." At Teela's widened eyes, he hurriedly added, "Not that I would try anything else! I just mean…I don't want things to get awkward between us if you really don't want me to…"

Teela immediately brought her hand over his and pushed it down to where she wanted it. After holding him there for several seconds and staring into Adam's eyes lovingly, she dropped her hand from his. "You're just helping me feel better. This area swells, too, when it's…that time," she whispered.

Adam laughed and smiled before he explored her chest thoroughly. Eventually, Adam felt emboldened by her willingness to do this with him and the soft gasps he heard every so often, so he bent his body over hers and kissed her neck tenderly. When he heard Teela moan, he brought his lips around to the center of her throat and followed her neck to her chin. He paused there briefly, waiting to see if there would be any objection. When there wasn't, he continued on his path and placed his lips squarely on hers.

The enthusiasm in which Teela kissed him surprised the prince, but he quickly gave as good as he got. He nipped, licked, and sucked her lips continuously before he finally gave into the need and explored her mouth extensively.

Eventually, though, Adam pulled away and brought his hand back to her lower abdomen. "Everything's okay here, right?" he questioned, massaging her again.

Teela's skin was now flushed from their heated exchange, so Adam couldn't tell if she was blushing, but he had a suspicion that she was. "It's fine," she whispered as she wrapped one hand around his neck to pull him down to her again.

As their lips met once more, Man-at-Arms' voice echoed throughout the room. "Teela, answer if you hear me. I just wanted to check on you, my daughter, and to let you know I'm coming up to bring you something for your pain."

Frantically, Adam tore his lips from hers and they stared at each other wide-eyed. Teela grabbed her comlink from her bedside table and answered, "Yes, Father. Thank you for letting me know. I'll see you soon."

Turning the communicator off, she said, "I'm sorry things had to end this way, but…"

Adam nodded as he jumped off the bed, "I know…I have to go!" He started heading towards the door but abruptly stopped himself. He then quickly ran around the bed to her side, bent over, and kissed her deeply. When he pulled back, he whispered softly, "I've dreamed of moments like this, but I never thought they'd happen."

Before Teela could reply, Adam ran out of the room and shut the door quietly. He was just in time because as soon as he began to walk away, Man-at-Arms slipped around the corner.

"Hi, Duncan," Adam greeted. "Off duty already?"

Man-at-Arms almost seemed to eye him suspiciously but merely replied, "No, I'm bringing Teela some medication. What are you doing here so early in the afternoon?"

Adam simply smiled and replied, "You know me, Man-at-Arms. I'm always lounging around and taking naps."

Quickly, he walked away and headed back outside with a huge grin covering his face.

=)=)=)


	2. Feelings and Wants Revealed

Teela's Visitor Chapter 2

He stared into the distance, but he didn't really see anything. His senses were caught in reverie of what had transpired just a few hours ago: Teela lay in his arms, pressing her back tightly against him as he raked circles across her torso. Silk rippling and then straightening under his fingertips. Her sharp intakes of breath every so often as he hit a particularly sensitive spot on her body. Soft sounds of what could only be pleasure resounding in his ears.

Slowly, he then replayed the moments of when he had moved on to bigger and better things. The sounds had definitely gotten louder as things became more personal and sensual. Everything had gotten better: eye contact, sureness that he wasn't in this alone. She was with him every step of the way—never once did she close her eyes for an extensive amount of time. She didn't think about He-Man or anyone else—she focused only on Adam. Touch, not only did he touch her softness in places he never had before, she allowed him to touch her with his lips and then kiss her, not as a playmate and childhood friend, but as a man. The memory made him shiver and close his eyes briefly to savor the experience all over again.

Even though it hadn't happened, his mind now supplied things that could have happened if they had not been interrupted by Man-at-Arms. He could almost imagine Teela chanting his name repeatedly.

"Adam… Adam… ADAM!"

Prince Adam jerked his head towards the voice and saw his parents staring at him from the throne. A blush crept from his neckline and consumed his face—they seemed to be studying him and despite the knowledge that they couldn't read his thoughts, the scrutiny unsettled him nonetheless. He supposed he had missed something while he had been daydreaming and they were waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry," he spoke awkwardly; "Were you saying something?"

King Randor narrowed his eyes inquisitively. "Yes, we were asking you what is on the wall that has you so captivated, son."

Adam glanced to the empty space before him and replied, "Nothing. I was a million miles away, thinking."

"Oh, really," inquired his mother; "Thinking about what?"

Heat spread throughout his body and he knew his blush became even more pronounced.

The queen raised her brow in what seemed to be surprise and spoke hurriedly, "We can talk about it later, Adam. No need in sharing now—we're about to get started."

Grateful for the reprieve, he turned his attention to his father who still looked at him intently. They exchanged glances for a moment before the king announced for the guards to let the court inside.

=)=)=)

Several hours later, Adam stood in his room and stared at the mirror. He ran his fingers through his bangs gingerly. He wanted everything to be perfect. " _What are you doing?_ " he questioned himself suddenly. " _You're acting like you've never attended dinner with Teela before._ "

Yes, he had attended royal dinners with Teela before. They ate together with his and her family every afternoon, but this was the first time they would attend dinner together after…expressing a mutual attraction for one another.

He still couldn't believe it. Ever since he had received the Sword of Power, he believed Teela would never give him a second glance. He-Man had enchanted her at first, and then Adam had disappointed her. When given the choice, he had thought she would choose He-Man. Probably most would. Who wouldn't want to be with the flawless Champion of Eternia, after all?

" _Of course, she hasn't said she wants to be with you,_ " he chided himself. He was making a lot of assumptions based on—let's face it—a brief make-out session. But he knew Teela wasn't the type of girl to make-out with just anyone. He went on to think, " _My dear captain says exactly what she thinks and does exactly what she wants to do. Everyone always knows where they stand with her."_

He took a deep breath. Except for now. He didn't know where he stood, because Man-at-Arms had interrupted them. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that they would have discussed what had happened afterwards. They wouldn't have let each other stay in this state of limbo. Closing his eyes and steeling himself for whatever might transpire, Adam hoped fervently that she felt the same way about him as he did for her. He breathed deeply one more time before leaving his room and making his way to the dining room.

When he arrived, air lodged itself in his throat. He could hardly breathe. There she was, sitting across from where he would sit, wearing a simple green dress with a brown belt at her waist. The contrast between her hair and the emerald-colored dress was a sight to behold, and he felt the desire to tell her exactly how beautiful she was, but he knew he couldn't without causing a spectacle.

With a grin, he continued to walk into the room and made his way to his seat. He couldn't help but wonder if she had worn this for him. Since they had grown up, he couldn't remember a time when she had worn a dress to dinner (aside from those times when they had visitors present).

"Good afternoon, son," greeted Randor as he walked around his parents to get to his seat.

"Good afternoon, Father," he greeted as he sat down. He then turned to each person present at their own turn. "Mother, Man-at-Arms, Orko, Cringer…Teela."

Adam stared at Teela and observed the captain's quick glance towards him as a rosy hue shined across her cheeks.

"Adam," she replied softly.

He didn't know how to take her response. While he was quite aware that she didn't want their parents to know what had transpired between them—he didn't either—he wasn't sure if she was embarrassed because of what they had done or if she was suddenly shy because of it. He decided he would try subtly to glean an answer to his questions by speaking to her.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Teela turned her complete attention to Adam now, as did the entire table.

"I didn't know you were feeling unwell, Captain," the king interrupted, glancing from Adam to Teela.

Man-at-Arms looked at the prince with the same expression he had in the hallway earlier: a little suspicious. "I didn't know you knew."

Adam nodded and replied, "Yes, remember you told me…after you got back from the battle at Castle Grayskull." Actually, he had told He-Man while he was still at Grayskull, but he knew Duncan would understand his actual meaning.

"Oh, yes," he muttered and then turned to the king to tell him that she was fine.

At that moment, Adam stretched his foot out under the table to tap hers. "So, are you?" he whispered when he regained her attention.

She glanced at the others briefly—her skin still showed her blush predominantly—and then replied, "Yes, I feel a little better. Father brought me some medication that helped. I also found…other ways that helped greatly."

The meaning was clear, and he tried to keep a straight face. "Well, maybe you should continue that treatment so you'll continue to improve."

Her blush deepened and she mumbled, "Maybe."

Now, he couldn't control it—he knew he was grinning like a loon. And, unfortunately for him, Man-at-Arms had turned around and seen his grin. The soldier looked slightly confused and Adam knew Duncan must be questioning what he had missed, especially when he had turned to his daughter and saw her fighting desperately to contain her own smile.

"What are you two grinning about?" he asked.

Teela turned to her father and said amusedly, "Oh, you know Adam, Father. He's always cracking jokes and having fun." She sighed and gave him a stern look. "He was just talking about one of his mischievous adventures today."

It wasn't a complete lie—it had been an adventure. He was good at half-truths and it seemed Teela was, too.

"And, I'd rather not share with the table," he whispered to Duncan and purposefully glanced at his parents. He knew his gesture would make Man-at-Arms feel like he was in the loop and therefore he would drop the subject…for now.

From that point forward, dinner had progressed as it always had. His parents talked about what they had done that day briefly before Orko interrupted to entertain them with his magic. As usual, and probably to their luck, Orko had goofed up. This time he had managed to drop a bowl of jelly onto Man-at-Arms' head which made him leave early to clean himself up. Adam was grateful that he wouldn't have to deal with any questions coming from Teela's father right now—that would have been awkward.

When dinner finally ended, Adam followed Teela from the room. He kept his distance a little, unsure if he should simply walk up to her or give her some space. She was walking away speedily, which meant she might want to avoid him, and he didn't want to freak her out.

As they turned the corner which led to the Royal Wing, Teela abruptly stopped and Adam found himself stopping, as well. She turned around, stared at him, and asked, "Well, what are you doing back there?"

Sighing with relief, he jogged to her and smirked. "I think you know."

"No, I really don't." She rolled her eyes playfully and began to walk again.

As they walked together, Adam couldn't stop himself from glancing over at her every few seconds. He saw out of his peripheral vision that she was doing the same to him every time he looked away. Finally, they arrived at Teela's bedroom and he pivoted to face her and lean on the doorframe.

"Are you turning in for the night?" he asked, softly.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

Adam took a deep breath and looked around. Nervously when he met her gaze, he questioned, "Would you care to join me on the balcony? We could enjoy the sunset and talk."

It was something they did all the time, but they both knew today would be different. They wouldn't talk about mundane, ordinary topics. They would discuss what had happened between them. He held his breath, worried that she wouldn't want to.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. Teela nodded and whispered, "I would love to."

Adam let go of the air he had been holding and smiled as she stepped away from her door and head towards their usual spot. Like he had earlier in the day, he decided at that moment to take a chance. Looking around to make sure no one was around, he ran to her side again and this time, without glancing at her or questioning anything, he grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers together.

She didn't pull away nor did her pace slow down from shock. She simply accepted the situation and treated it as the norm. This was the first time they had held hands like this, and he marveled at how tiny and soft her hand was in his. It was hard to believe that she used it to train and fight almost everyday. It was almost as unbelievable as the fact that _this_ was actually happening.

He couldn't resist the urge anymore—he turned his head slightly to look at her and her cheeks dimpled in a soft smile. The relief he felt was tremendous.

Finally, they turned onto "their balcony" and walked to the railing. Now, they were truly alone unless someone walked by behind them. They were too far up to be heard by anyone in the courtyard.

For several long moments, they simply stood there, holding hands and looking at the evening sky. Teela was the first one to speak. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He turned to stare at her. It was the perfect opening. He wondered if she intentionally gave it to him. "Yes, it is," he whispered with only a slight hesitation, "but not as beautiful as you. I like your dress—it's different."

A blush settled on Teela's cheeks, and Adam grinned because it seemed like that was going to be the norm for them for a while. "Thanks," she replied just as softly. "I wore it for several different reasons. Right now I feel like a…bloated blowfish, so I didn't want to wear my usual clothes. Also, I thought you might like it even though I know it's nothing a courtier would wear. It's nothing fancy, but it's..." She immediately looked away.

"It's perfect," he replied. He let go of her hand, leaned his hip against the railing, and reached up to touch her face to get her to look at him. When their eyes met, he smiled and said, "I like it very much, and don't compare yourself to the other courtiers. You far surpass them, Teela. It's not fair to them, you know."

Immediately, she laughed. "Oh, Adam!" She quickly slipped into his arms and mumbled against his chest, "I was so worried this would change us and that we wouldn't have the same camaraderie that we usually do. I didn't want us to walk on eggshells."

Now, it was his turn to laugh. "I don't think it is possible for you to walk on eggshells, Teela. You'd have no problem stomping right through them." Then, he got serious. "But I do want to ask you what might perhaps be a few awkward questions."

Backing up so she could look up at him easily, she stated, "Go for it."

Bringing his hand up nervously, he scratched his head a little before finally meeting her gaze. Quickly but softly, he asked, "Were you okay with…what happened today?"

There was a brief pause as Teela looked down at their shoes. "Yes, I was okay with it." Her voice was so soft he barely heard her.

Adam now had to look at the top of her head, but he had a feeling she felt comfortable not looking at him while she answered these questions. It definitely seemed like his fiery, take-no-crap-from-anyone bodyguard was a little skittish when it came to matters of the heart. He would let her remain in her comfort zone for now. Besides, it helped him, too, because he was nervous himself.

Gathering all the courage he had, he stepped closer and brushed her arm lightly. He didn't know quite how to ask her about their relationship. Eventually, though, he closed his eyes and questioned, "Would you be okay with that happening again?"

Teela stiffened, and Adam forced himself to stand still and not run like he almost had last time. Slowly, she brought her head up and smiled at him. She reached her out and grabbed his hand. She placed it on her abdomen and whispered, "You can do it now."

He didn't have to be told twice. Instantly, he turned her around, pulled her back closely to his chest, and kneaded her abdomen leisurely. "Is it bothering you again?" he asked as he rested his head on her shoulder lightly.

"A little," she admitted before leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder.

Adam knew they would be quite a sight right now if someone saw them, but at that moment he didn't care. He brought his other hand around her waist and started rubbing her stomach as he continued to massage her lower abdomen.

"I want this to be a regular thing, even when it's not…your time," he whispered in her ear. "Would you be okay with that?"

"Yes," she gasped.

"Seriously?" he questioned again and ceased all movement.

Teela turned her head to peer into his eyes as best as she could and stated firmly, "As long as I'm the only one you're doing this with."

Adam smiled as she widened her eyes. He could tell she had been wrapped in the moment and now she couldn't believe she had said that. To put her out of her misery, he responded, "You will be. As a matter of fact, you are the only one."

Unhurriedly, she turned in his arms and said, "Good." She, then, tilted her head back and the prince took that as an invitation. Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her chastely at first. Afterward, he pulled back to look into her eyes. She didn't seem worried or hesitant now. He grinned before kissing her again. This time, he kissed her with every bit of passion he felt. He wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her to him as closely as he could. Like before, Adam nipped at her lips softly before deepening the kiss.

Soon, both were moaning in delight, but the prince forcibly pulled away after a few minutes of intense kissing. "I have to know," he whispered, as he rested his forehead against hers. "I have to know that there's more to this. Don't get me wrong, I love this. I just want to know if you…feel anything for me."

Teela pulled back a little and asked almost sharply, "Do you think I do this with just anybody? Adam, I'm not one…"

"No!" he said hurriedly, interrupting her. "No, I don't! I—I didn't mean to imply that you were one of _those_ women! I just…I wanted to get you to say how you feel." He breathed deeply and whispered, "Even guys get a little insecure from time to time."

Teela softened her expression at his words, pulled him close again, and answered, "Yes, I have feelings for you, Adam. As frustrating as you are, I couldn't stop myself…Do you have feelings for me?"

"You know I do," he replied immediately. Instantly, he kissed her again and picked up where they left off.

They were oblivious to the world around them.


	3. Is it Over Already?

Teela's Visitor Chapter 3

He didn't know how to act now.

Last night, things had been utterly perfect. The world and everything else in it had faded away as Teela and he discussed their feelings for one another. To say he had been surprised would have been an understatement. Before yesterday, he would have never believed in a million years that she could feel anything for him, much less allow him to express his feelings to her in more ways than with just mere words.

She was truly amazing…and she consumed his thoughts, more so now than ever before. His thoughts kept replaying what had happened on the balcony: they had spent the entire evening watching the sunset, kissing, and holding one another. Nothing else had existed to him at that time. Only Teela.

But now it was morning, and with the new day came a reawakening into the real world. He realized that he had no idea how he was to act now. Did she still want to hide their relationship from their parents? Did they even want to call it a relationship yet? Should he continue to treat her as simply a friend except for when they were in private? Or would she allow him to openly treat her as his consort? He realized he should have asked explicitly last night, but again, all that he had cared about at the time was her and how they had felt physically and emotionally.

He wondered if she was asking herself the same questions right now.

Comforted at the thought, he slipped out of bed and made his way to his closet. He slipped on his usual attire and then went to bathroom to finish making himself presentable for the day.

=)=)=)

Like the day before, Adam walked into the dining room with Cringer expecting to find Teela already seated at the table with his parents and Man-at-Arms. She was missing. Immediately, he wondered if she was in pain again and that's why she hadn't shown. He felt an almost uncontrollable desire to go to her, but he couldn't. His parents had looked up at him and how could he explain that he had shown up for breakfast but had now changed his mind.

Sighing, he walked to his seat and sat down. Before greeting anyone, he immediately looked at Man-at-Arms and asked abruptly, "Where's Teela?"

Duncan looked at the prince as if he were surprised by the greeting, or the lack thereof, and Adam supposed his question did border on rudeness, but he was concerned. Even though they didn't know what was happening between Teela and himself, they surely couldn't fault him for being worried and curious. They were best friends, after all. Duncan glanced to the king and queen briefly as they raised their brows and then turned to study Adam. "She decided to skip breakfast this morning," he answered; "She wanted to get an early start preparing for the Guard's training—she wanted to try a new routine."

Adam nodded and looked down at his plate sadly. While Man-at-Arms' words could very well be true, he felt an anxiety he had never felt before rising. Maybe Teela didn't show up because she wanted to avoid him, so she thought of a plausible excuse to skip breakfast. It was a good one…and so Teela. When she was nervous, upset, or wanted to avoid something, she always hid behind her duties as Captain of the Guard. Maybe she regretted what had happened yesterday after she had slept on it. Maybe she decided she didn't want to court a Crown Prince. After all, that would change her life significantly. Maybe she was even a little fearful of his reactions to her in the very near future—maybe she was worried that he would push their intimacy further than they already had when she could physically take it further. Surely, she knew he wouldn't do that! Well, not without a sign that she wanted to.

Taking another deep breath, he tried to calm himself. He was working himself into a tizzy with no real cause. Man-at-Arms' words might be true. Maybe Teela did want to get a head start on the day. It wasn't unheard of.

Adam was brought out of his thoughts by someone touching his hand. He looked up and was surprised to see that his mother was looking at him sympathetically. "Adam, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No!" he said a little too quickly and spiritedly. He then calmed himself again and stated more evenly, "I was just thinking…"

The king grabbed his attention by leaning forward a little to seemingly study him more closely. "Yes, you've been doing that a lot recently."

Adam fought the desire to squirm. He really didn't need his parents' scrutiny right now. So, he simply nodded, trying to downplay his father's remark. He wanted to give the impression that their observations were inconsequential to him. After all, if he was unconcerned with their attention, it would tell them there was nothing to be concerned about. He hoped he could pull it off.

It must have worked with his father, because he quickly shifted his attention to Duncan and started to discuss what was to be done that day, but his mother continued to look at him as the kitchen staff came out to serve their food. After a few more moments of her staring at him and him trying not to react, she stood and announced, "Adam, I need to speak with you in the hall privately. Come with me."

There was no question or request in her tone. It was a command and he had to obey—there was no way to avoid it. "Yes, Mother," he muttered as he stood. He followed her from the room, but instead of immediately addressing whatever she had to say, she led him to the nearby library. They went into one of the many private rooms there and she shut the door.

"Okay," she said, turning around to face him, "what's going on?"

He simply stared at her for a few moments as he tried to think of something to say. When his mind didn't supply an answer, he shrugged and stated, "I don't know what you mean."

The queen glowered at him. "Adam, I do not like you lying to me. Either you tell me what's going on between you and Teela or I'll go to her to find out."

Instantly, he gasped, showing surprise at her threat and that she had figured out that it had something to do with Teela. "Please don't do that!" he exclaimed in a rush; "I hardly know how she would react!"

"Then, tell me. I noticed yesterday that there was something different between the two of you, and with your daydreaming all day long, it wasn't hard to make an educated guess. Come on, I already know. Just spit it out."

Swallowing roughly and closing his eyes, he admitted softly, "Teela and I expressed our feelings for one another recently."

After a long silence had developed, he opened his eyes. His mother simply stared at him but when their eyes locked, she asked, "How far have you gone to express those feelings?"

Widening his eyes, he almost shouted, "Not far at all! We've kissed and…everything was completely innocent!"

Marlena nodded and grabbed his hand as he started to blush. "Sorry, but I had to ask. You are Eternia's prince, so there must be precautions if your relationship is to be physical."

Adam gawked at her for a moment. "I don't want to discuss this, Mom!" he exclaimed, turning even redder.

"Would you rather discuss this with your father?"

"NO!"

The queen took a seat at the table and gestured for him to join her. When he did, she stated calmly, "I know you don't want to talk to your mother about this, but Duncan is obviously out of the question since this concerns his daughter. That would be awkward. Now, while you know that Randor and I expect you to abstain from certain acts, I'm not naïve enough to believe that you disregarding our expectations is beyond the realm of possibility. That's why I need to know if you plan on going further with Teela."

He immediately dropped his head to the table, hid it in his arms, and groaned. Feeling completely embarrassed and mortified, he mumbled, "I didn't have any plans to…sully her name or mine. Besides, I don't think she would want to go _that_ far anyway."

He lifted his head and rubbed his face before looking at her.

She smiled comfortingly as she rested a hand on his forearm and said, "That's good to know…but what if she were willing?"

Adam looked around the room frantically. "I don't know!" he finally exclaimed, honestly. He knew it was pointless to lie since she'd know.

She nodded and then stated, "Well then, I guess we need to take a trip to the Royal Physician to make sure you're prepared just in case."

"Mother!" exclaimed Adam; "I can do that on my own if we decide to take things that far. I really don't want you getting involved in this! That would be humiliating and…"

"Adam, trust me, I do realize how awkward this is. On Earth, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation at all. The things I taught you in your youth would have sufficed and you would have been allowed to make your own decisions…but on Eternia, you are a prince and heir to the throne. We cannot afford for you to make mistakes in these regards. You would be forced to marry Teela if she became pregnant and if she didn't want to marry you, it would definitely tarnish her reputation. She would be driven from Eternos."

He sighed and replied, "If we decide to go that far, I promise I will see the physician immediately."

Marlena stared at him for a few moments and then relented. "I expect you to keep your promise."

"I will."

As Adam started to stand to leave the room as quickly as possible, she grabbed his hand and said, "One more thing: are you and Teela officially courting now?"

He dropped back into his seat. This was one thing he didn't mind sharing now that his mother knew what was going on. He shrugged and whispered, "I don't know. We haven't really discussed it."

"And, that's why you were upset earlier?"

He met her gaze and answered, "I'm not upset. It's just that…I know Teela has feelings for me, but I don't know if she wants everyone else to know. I'm worried that she has changed her mind about us and that's why she didn't show up to breakfast this morning. What you said earlier was right: I am the prince and that has to be daunting for someone who likes their privacy as much as Teela does. My life is in the public eye in a way that hers isn't."

Marlena squeezed his hand comfortingly, "Well, you must discuss this with her. There is no way to keep the relationship a secret. Duncan, Randor, and I knew something was up yesterday almost immediately, and it won't be long before everyone notices."

Adam immediately stood. "Man-at-Arms and Father know?"

"They had their suspicions. We've discussed it…they know what I'm talking to you about right now."

He groaned and exclaimed, "Please tell Man-at-Arms not to confront Teela until I talk to her! I don't want her to feel cornered, because I'm the only one with something to lose here! And, I don't want to lose her!"

Marlena stared at him for a long moment before whispering, "You're in love with her already, aren't you?"

Turning his back to her, he admitted, "Since we were kids."

"I always thought so."

He turned back around and rushed to her side. He knelt on the floor and begged, "Please tell me that you'll stop Duncan and Father from questioning her! Let me handle this in my own way!"

Marlena cupped his cheek and with a smile, she stated, "Of course, son."

=)=)=)

Adam leaned against a tree in the courtyard as he watched Teela finish with her regiment of troops. He knew she had seen him earlier when he had first shown up. While she had been showing them a move, she had faltered a little before regaining her momentum and enthusiasm. At that moment, a bubble of dismay had lodged itself in his throat—he wondered if her actions foreshadowed what was to come. He knew he was going to blindside her with their discussion…but it had to be done. He couldn't let Duncan address her before he did.

When Teela dismissed everyone, he felt a little relief when she started walking towards him. "Hey, you could have joined us!" she exclaimed happily.

He immediately smiled and stated, "No, I think I'll save my energy for my combat lesson."

As soon as Teela stood in front of him, she grinned and asked, "Do you want to help me take my equipment back to the storage room?"

"Of course," he answered, relieved that she wasn't worried or hesitant. Maybe she hadn't been avoiding him. Maybe she really had wanted to get a head start on the guards' training.

He followed her to her pile of weapons and grabbed the things she handed to him: her shield and the practice-bot that she sometimes trained with. She carried her sword and bow. After everything was in hand, they headed for the storage room.

Once they were in there, they placed everything in its appropriate spot without talking. When they were finished, they turned toward one another simultaneously.

"Hey," he said abruptly and immediately reddened. " _Well, that was smooth,_ " he thought sarcastically, berating himself for not thinking of something better after they had already greeted one another.

Teela immediately laughed. It seemed like she could see the embarrassment radiating from him. She walked to him slowly and replied, "Hey." When they finally stood face-to-face, she simply stared at him as he stared at her. The smile that had covered her face slowly disintegrated, but before he could worry about the cause, she slipped one hand behind his neck and the other on his chest before pulling him to her for a kiss.

Their lips met with no hesitancy, and Adam quickly slipped his arms around her and held her to him in a strong embrace. They shared sweet, chaste kisses and some that made his toes curl, especially the one when she had taken the initiative to run her tongue across his bottom lip. When he had opened his mouth a little in response, she bit it softly. At that moment, he couldn't control himself: he pushed her to the wall and held her there firmly as they continued to kiss.

That was how they found themselves when they pulled apart their lips to breathe.

"Wow!" he said as he tugged her away from the wall and into a loving embrace.

"Yeah, wow," she agreed as she also slipped her arms around him.

Adam held her for several moments longer before reluctantly pulling away. When her questioning eyes met his, he took her hand in his and whispered, "I have to talk to you, Teela."

She nodded in agreement and allowed him to lead her from the room to a nearby bench. He sat down, so she sat beside him. Gathering as much courage as he could, he looked into her eyes and breathed deeply. Before he could utter a single word, she whispered with a smile, "Just say it."

He nodded and asked, "Teela, do you…" His voice broke. He coughed a little and started over. "As you know I'm a prince…"

Teela interrupted him by chuckling. "That's kind of hard to miss considering I've known you my entire life."

He smiled briefly before trying again. "With my being a prince, there come certain obligations and expectations. People are always aware of what is going on in my life. I'm in the public eye, as well as under the constant watchful eye of my parents. Now, given that…Teela, what I need to know is if you're okay with people knowing about us."

He sighed as Teela's smile faded and she stared at him fearfully. "This isn't something we can hide forever. If we want to be together, they're going find out eventually."

Teela let out a shaky breath and stood. She walked away and stated, "I'm quite aware that everyone would find out eventually if we decide to be together."

Her words were a blow to his gut. If they decided to be together?

Teela must have read his expression accurately, because she quickly walked back to him and brushed his cheek with her fingers softly. "I do want to be with you, Adam, but at the same time, I don't want everyone knowing about this just yet. I want to enjoy simply being with you before we have to follow the proper protocol of courting." She sighed and then added, "Besides, I know what will happen once the king learns of our relationship. He's not going to let me be your bodyguard anymore, and he's certainly not going to let me be the Captain of the Guard if something more should develop between us. I don't want to face that yet."

Adam swallowed roughly and whispered, "The king already knows."

At Teela's astonished look, he rushed to assure her. "I didn't tell him. Mother and he had already figured it out. They noticed a difference in us yesterday…"

"Have they told my father of their suspicions?"

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "He already had his suspicions, as well. Mother and I spoke on the subject this morning. He hasn't spoken to me on the matter, and Mother assures me that he won't address it with you for now. Of course, he will eventually."

Teela pulled her hand away from his and turned her back on him.

"Teela?" he questioned fearfully.

She turned back around, and he was shocked to see tears gathering in her eyes.

"Oh, no! Teela!" he shouted, as he stood and went to her. He pulled her into his arms. After holding her for several moments, he pulled away and rubbed both of her arms soothingly. He didn't want to say his next words, but her feelings were more important to him than his own right now. Putting his finger under her chin to get her to look up at him, he whispered, "If you want to end this now so you don't have to deal with courting a Crown Prince, I understand. I know being with me would change so much in your life…things that you might not want to give up."

He then paused. He waited for her to say something, but when she didn't, he backed up, nodded sadly, and then walked away.

=)=)=)

Adam had avoided everything and everyone for the rest of the day. He had pleaded other obligations when his mother, Duncan, or anyone else had wanted to speak with him. Despite the fact that he had been sure Teela wouldn't want to seek him out, he had decided to hide from the world for just a little while longer. He wanted the time to lick his wounds and heal after all his hopes had been shattered.

He lay in bed beside Cringer and buried his face in his fur.

"I was so foolish," he mumbled to his pet. "I should have known it could never be." He sniffled as he pulled away from the tiger and continued, "Why did our parents have to notice so soon? If I only had more time with her, this might not have happened. She might have been willing to accept all my baggage and the probable changes to her life if she had been given the opportunity to fall in love with me."

He shook his head as a few tears slipped down his cheeks. He looked to the wall briefly and saw the chronometer. He petted Cringer softly and whispered, "It's time for dinner. You can go. I won't be attending tonight."

"A-Adam," said Cringer, worriedly, "I'm staying. I don't like you being so depressed alone."

He smiled a little and replied, "I'm okay, old buddy. You can go. I'll be here when you get back."

"Are you sure?"

At his nod, Cringer slowly jumped from the bed and made his way out of the room but gave him a long comforting yet sympathetic look before he shut the door by pulling it shut with his teeth.

Once Adam was alone, he forced himself to go to sleep. He was tired of thinking about what might have been.

=)=)=)

He wasn't sure what time it was, but the room was completely enveloped in darkness and he could barely see a thing. He wasn't sure what had woken him up, but a slight movement on his bed made him jump a little.

"Cringer?" he questioned.

When his feline friend didn't respond, he reached his hand out to turn on his bedside lamp but was suddenly stopped by someone grabbing his arm and pinning him down on the bed. "What?" he exclaimed and afterward immediately began to pry the person off of him…

…until he heard her voice. "Adam! Adam! It's me!"

"Teela?"

He felt her shift and suddenly light filled the room as she touched his lamp. Adam looked up at Teela and immediately gasped. Here was Teela in the same nightgown he had seen her in the first time they had kissed. And, at that moment, he couldn't help but notice how different this occasion was from that one: Teela was on top of him, straddling his waist.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

Teela immediately placed a finger on his lips and said, "I didn't see you all day after we talked. I kept expecting you to show up, but you never did…so I decided I'd confront you in the only place where I knew you would be at a certain time."

He lay deathly still and turned only his head to look away from her. "Why do you want to confront me? I haven't done anything."

"You haven't done anything?" she questioned. "You ran off and never showed back up! Instead, you hid all day long."

He finally looked back at her and snapped, "Why does that matter? Teela, I just…need some time. Look, I don't blame you for not wanting to be with me. I get that being with me would change your life forever and you don't want to deal with that. I understand—I really do."

Teela placed her hands on his shoulders, bent over, and pushed him into the bed roughly. "Evidently, you don't know a thing," she stated forcefully.

"What?"

She let go of him and frowned. "Adam, I'm sorry that I didn't have the reaction that you wanted this morning, but this is all so new and I needed time to process everything." She shook her head and whispered, "I still want to be with you, Adam. Please don't shut me out and end things between us. I…want to explore our relationship further. I just want a little time to adjust before we go public. Is that asking too much?"

Adam stared into her eyes for a few moments before lifting his hand to her face and rubbing her cheekbone softly with his thumb. "No, it isn't," he answered.

Suddenly, she smiled at him, and Adam let out a sigh of relief. He had never felt so thankful in his entire life. He brought both hands to his face and rubbed it slowly before looking at her again to make sure she was real and this was really happening.

Seemingly knowing what he was thinking, she bent down low to his ear and whispered, "Yes, I'm really here and this is happening." She kissed his ear with a brush of her lips and then followed an imaginary line from his ear to his lips. And, when they finally kissed, it felt like an explosion had went off. Instantly, they pulled at one another, trying desperately to get closer. Soon, the room was filled with sounds of rough breathing as they seemingly tried to devour the other.

Eventually, Teela pulled back and stared at him for a moment before bringing a finger to his lips. Adam kissed it softly and she smiled. Then, she ran the finger from his lips down his neck to his chest. She met his questioning gaze and said, "You've had your fun exploring me. Can you return the favor and let me explore you?"

Adam widened his eyes and gasped, "Ancients, yes!"

Slowly, Teela pulled at his nightshirt and he simply lifted his arms to aid her efforts. When the article clothing was off, she immediately flung it across the room. She then stared at his chest with a look that seemed to be amazement.

He looked down at himself and wondered what had caused such a response. "Nothing special, huh?" he guessed.

She met his gaze and asked, "What?" She shook her head and said, "Adam, I could tell you were muscular under your shirt, but I had no idea your masculine beauty could rival He-Man's."

He immediately blushed from the roots of his hair to his toes and Teela immediately grinned. "There's no reason to blush, Adam…" she whispered, "…yet."

Gone was the Teela of yesterday. She seemed very confident and sure of herself as she bent over and kissed his neck. She then ran her tongue across his skin before scrapping her teeth against him lightly.

At his moan, he felt her smile against him and she kissed the hollow of his throat.

"Teela," he gasped, suddenly gripping her with both hands at her waist. He hardly knew if her name had been a question or a moan.

Teela treated it as the latter. She continued to move down his body until she reached his chest. She then moved over his left pectoral muscle to kiss it while she ran her fingernails slowly over the other.

Feeling slightly out of control and wanting to obtain it in this moment, Adam immediately sat up with her in his lap, and they found themselves in a position that they knew could potentially overwhelm them both: Teela still straddled his body, so when he sat up, he inadvertently moved her to a place that he hadn't initially intended to…

The gasp and look on each other's faces told the other that despite their actions recently, neither had planned this. They stared at each other momentarily but not uttering a word.

Suddenly, Teela let herself fall and sit on him firmly. They brushed against each other in a new way and they closed their eyes at the contact.

"Teela," he whispered again.

She opened her eyes and brought her lips to his as they started to pull at one another and move again. Soon, moans and sounds of kissing filled the room, but eventually Teela laid a hand across his cheek and stilled his movements. "It's no longer that time, you know," she whispered softly…softer than he had ever heard her speak before.

Adam widened his eyes and wondered if she was telling him this because she wanted to go further.

=)=)=)


	4. Avoidance

Teela's Visitor Chapter 4

He was caught somewhere in between the state of euphoria and the state of panic. He didn't know what to do or say. Teela was watching him intently for some kind of response, so he did the first thing that came to mind. It was the most honest reaction to her words anyway. He leaned forward and caught her lips again for another kiss that left them breathless.

There was no doubt that he wanted her, and he knew she knew that. They could both feel the evidence…but were they ready for that step?

He brought a hand up to Teela's face and cupped her cheek. He stared at her intently and finally asked, "Is there a reason you told me that? Do you want to…" His voice broke and he cleared his throat a little.

She immediately blushed and exclaimed "Oh!" She looked down and then back up again slowly, barely making eye contact. "No…I mean, yes, I want…but not…" She suddenly laughed and shook her head. She brought a hand up to her face, took Adam's hand in hers, and said, "I told you so you wouldn't have to worry about the position we're in or worry about my being in pain." She finally met his gaze head on. "I…I'm not ready for things to go _that far_ yet. I just…" She drifted off.

Adam chuckled a little and whispered, "Good."

"Good?" She looked a little hurt.

He widened his eyes as he realized what implications could be made from that response. "No!" he exclaimed hurriedly; "I want you. You know I do." He raised his hips a little to remind her of where she was sitting and what state he was in.

She gasped.

"I just…I got a little nervous for a second there," he continued, smiling at her response. "I…I'm not ready for that step either. For one thing, I don't have any protection, and I doubt you take any contraceptives."

She shook her head. "No, I don't."

They both looked at each other with very pronounced blushes covering their cheeks.

Teela then leaned forward a little and met his lips again in a soft kiss. "So, you ran out?" she whispered questioningly as she pulled away.

It took a second for him to realize what she was talking about. Knowing his skin got even darker, he looked away and stuttered, "Uh, no…uh, I don't…I never—I haven't had any need for anything. I…"

She raised her brow in a look of disbelief and questioned, "You haven't…you know?" She gestured back and forth with her hand between their bodies.

He knew what she was asking. He met her eyes even though he was embarrassed and whispered, "No, I haven't. I…I'm a prince, you know. I can't produce heirs before I'm married."

"Protection stops that most of the time," she whispered. "I find it difficult to believe women haven't thrown themselves at you."

He smiled softly and replied, "Oh, they have. I just…I didn't want any of them like I want you."

Now Teela's blush grew darker and she dropped her gaze from his.

"Have you?" he questioned, curious as to what her answer would be.

"No," she answered immediately. After a moment, she added, "What I've done with you is the furthest I've ever gone…"

Adam smiled and admitted, "Me, too."

They both stared at one another again and after a moment, their lips met for another kiss. Once again, they began to move against one another and moan every so often when they brushed against each other in just the right way. Eventually, though, Teela pulled away and whispered, "I need to get back to my room before we get caught."

He wanted to ask her to stay. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he knew she was right. The longer she stayed, the more likely they would get caught. Besides, he knew they'd end up doing what they agreed they weren't ready for if she stayed. His body was ready, achingly so, so he knew it might talk him into doing something his head clearly knew should be off the table.

As soon as Teela moved off of him, he watched as she raked her eyes down his body and settled on his pajama bottoms. He looked down at the highly noticeable lump that undoubtedly caught her attention. He looked at her nervously and said, "I'm sorry. I can't help it."

"I know," she whispered as she leaned down and met his lips again in yet another kiss. She then admitted, "I can't get enough of you, so I'm glad to know the feeling's mutual."

"Oh, it is," he agreed. He wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her deeply, massaging her lips with his tongue this time before sucking on them gently.

Teela panted as she pulled away and said abruptly, "I have to go." She nearly flew from the bed and he understood why: she was having just as much trouble as he was. She wanted him. He smiled at the thought and watched her as she left the room. They both gave each other one last longing look before the shutting door separated them.

=)=)=)

The next morning Adam got up early. Cringer was nowhere to be found—he had probably gone out during the night to ramble as cats loved to do. Usually, he would have worried until he saw his companion again, despite knowing Cringer never intentionally looked for trouble, but this morning he had too many important things on his mind.

One that kept repeating in his mind was if he should take a trip to see his healer. Even though Teela and he had agreed they weren't ready to… Eventually they would be if everything went how he wanted it to, and the Ancients knew that they were headed in that direction last night. He didn't want to be unprepared should she change her mind. He had promised his mother, for one thing. For another, he doubted seriously that Teela would want to chance getting pregnant. He wasn't ready for that, either.

He sighed, knowing that the easiest solution was to simply abstain. That's what they both wanted after all, and the truth was he was nervous about the prospect of going that far anyway. Yes, he was interested, but he also had little idea of what to do. Sure, he knew the basics and he was sure instincts would take over, but it was still a little daunting nonetheless.

He shook his head as he realized most guys his age had already taken that big step with someone and they'd probably laugh at him if they knew how nervous he was or that he hadn't done it with anyone yet. But tradition for princes was to abstain until they were married. Of course, he knew that didn't mean they actually held to the tradition—he knew a lot didn't.

He brought a hand to his eyes and wiped at them slowly as he went into the hallway and started to make his way to the dining room.

"Had a rough night?" a voice asked suddenly.

Adam yelped in response. He hadn't realized someone was in the hall with him and he had recognized the voice instantly. With his current thoughts roaming through his mind, _he_ was the absolute last person he wanted to see right now. The prince looked at Duncan as the elder walked to his side and waited for an answer.

"No," he whispered, "I was just thinking. I mean, I didn't get as much sleep as I usually do, but it's not a big deal."

Duncan nodded and asked, "Thinking about Teela?"

He cringed. He really didn't want to talk about this with Duncan right now. His skin blazed brightly as he mumbled, "I can't talk about this with you, Man-at-Arms."

He started to walk away but stopped when his mentor grabbed his arm and said, "Hey."

He glanced at Duncan briefly and then looked away. He felt himself get even hotter from embarrassment, but he looked back at him anyway when he heard his friend sigh.

"Adam, you're like a son to me," he whispered; "The truth is I've always hoped you'd find one another someday."

He widened his eyes. "You have?"

Man-at-Arms nodded. "Of course, I can think of no one more worthy of my daughter. I know you'd take care of her no matter what, and that's a comforting thought as I get older. Not to mention, I know if her destiny should be the same as the Sorceress', you would be the one person to understand and not turn from her."

He paused. He hadn't even thought of that aspect of things. It was possible Teela would one day be the Sorceress of Grayskull. How would that work out? " _How can she be both the Sorceress of Grayskull and the Queen of Eternia_?" he asked himself. He brought a hand to his face to cover it slightly. Didn't that pretty much tell him what was to become of their relationship? He knew he couldn't stop fate, just like Hordak hadn't been able to stop Adora's, and if Teela's fate was to be the future Sorceress, that meant their relationship had been doomed before it had even started.

Adam frowned and noticed that Duncan, who also frowned, was looking off into the distance. Suddenly, his mentor snapped out of it and said, "The Sorceress wants to see both of us. She wants to talk to us about this."

He immediately cringed and shook his head. He took a step back and said hesitantly, "I…don't want to talk to her, yet." He glanced down the hall frantically; he would do anything to not hear the Sorceress tell him that a future with Teela was impossible. To stop the inevitable discussion, he continued hurriedly, "Everyone is jumping the gun here: Teela and I aren't engaged. We haven't even announced publicly that we're courting. I don't even know if Teela will ever want to do that…" He shook his head again. "It's not the right time to talk about any of this!"

He walked away so quickly that he was almost running, and Man-at-Arms called out for him to no avail. He was gone in an instant.

=)=)=)

This time Adam was the one to skip breakfast and he was starving since he had also skipped dinner the day before. It's just that he didn't want to give Duncan the opportunity to drag him to Castle Grayskull. So, he took a page from cowardly Prince Adam's playbook and ran and hid from the problem. He decided he could actually live up to that reputation just once. He knew it wasn't the best or smartest idea ever, but he didn't want to face the truth just yet. He wanted to be happy for just a little while before his obligations to Castle Grayskull and Eternia once again overwhelmed his life and arguably ruined it.

He closed his eyes as he felt for what felt like the millionth time the Sorceress reaching out to him. He wasn't sure how he was doing it, but he was able to block her when he tried. He had discovered this earlier when she had tried to speak with him after he had walked away from Man-at-Arms. She had begun by stating that she had to talk to him about Teela and as soon as he had thought the words, " _I don't want to hear this right now_ ," the Sorceress had grown quiet. At first he had thought she had respected his wishes, but a few minutes later, the Sorceress had sprung back into his mind and asked him why he was blocking her. After that, he purposely set out to do it.

He knew he was being selfish and probably very immature, but his moments with Teela had been some of the happiest that he had ever had in his entire life, and he didn't want to taint those memories right now. He didn't want to put them on the shelf labeled "painful" in his mind and try to forget about them. The notion seemed impossible and his heart cried out for a way to avoid it all together.

Not to mention, he knew when the Sorceress told him that all he could ever be was Teela's champion once she took her place as the Sorceress of Grayskull, she would expect him to call things off with her daughter. In his mind, he saw Teela's sad green eyes as he told her that he had changed his mind and that he didn't want to be with her. He wouldn't be able to tell her why just yet, so he knew his words would hurt her severely. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. So, he was going to be selfish and immature for as long as possible. He knew it was a dangerous game considering he still had to protect Castle Grayskull and he was blocking the Sorceress' attempts to reach him, but he was certain she would contact Man-at-Arms if Skeletor attacked.

He brought his hands up to his face and covered them as he sat beneath a tree in the courtyard. He was on the opposite side of the tree from the palace, so if Duncan or anyone else stepped outside, they wouldn't see him. He hoped they would stay inside and look for him there all day.

As he wiped a tear from his eye, he heard the one person that could possibly make him forget everything for a while, and paradoxically, he felt relief even though his heart clinched at the sound of her voice. "There you are!" cried Teela as she stepped around the tree and stood beside him. "Everyone has been looking everywhere for you!"

He kept his face down and asked, "How did you find me?"

"This is your favorite tree to sleep under sometimes. I decided to check it out even though I didn't see you initially." She sat down beside him and noticed that he abruptly looked in the opposite direction. His hair was blocking any view of his face. She reached out and rubbed his arm tenderly. "What's wrong?"

He simply shook his head.

"Come on, Adam," she whispered. "I know something is bothering you."

Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly.

She pulled on his arm and continued, "And, you're clearly hungry. You skipped dinner and now you've skipped breakfast. You must be avoiding something and I'm starting to think it's me."

He immediately whipped his head around to look at her and she gasped at the sight of his tear-bright eyes and the red complexion of his face. "It's not you," he replied softly. "Well, not directly."

"What is it, then?"

He knew he couldn't include the Sorceress in their discussion. Teela didn't know she was her mother after all, and she didn't know about her future as the Sorceress of Grayskull. "I don't think your…parent wants us to be together," he said finally, deciding to be vague. She would assume he was talking about Man-at-Arms.

"What?" she cried.

He nodded and continued, "I don't think anyone wants us to be together."

She immediately furrowed her brow and snapped, "And, you're just going to accept that?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. Why do you think I'm out here? I don't want to hear what they have to say! I don't want to give them the opportunity to take you away from me!"

Her expression softened and she brought a hand up to his face to cup his cheek. "No one is going to take me from you," she whispered; "We are the ones who will decide if we'll be together or not. We won't let anyone else sway our decisions. I promise you that." She leaned forward and they kissed briefly.

When she pulled back, her brow furrowed once more and she spat, "And, I'm going to go tell my father exactly that!" She stood and started to walk away as if she were a woman on a mission.

"TEELA!" called Adam, because he knew she was going to do exactly what she said. "Please, don't!" He quickly got up and began to follow her but abruptly stopped when he heard the cries of a falcon. He looked up and sure enough he saw Zoar. He then quickly turned in the opposite direction to get away from the Sorceress and immediately stopped again. Man-at-Arms had slipped around the corner as soon as Teela had made her way inside the palace. Duncan began to walk towards him determinedly. He looked back in the opposite direction and saw Zoar turn into the Sorceress. She looked slightly annoyed.

" _Oh, Ancients_!" he thought to himself as he looked ahead of him and stared at the entrance Teela had just gone through. He took a step in that direction but stopped cold when a wall suddenly appeared before him and the Sorceress said determinedly, "I need to speak with you, Adam."

=)=)=)


	5. Facing the Sorceress

Teela's Visitor Chapter 5

He felt cornered, like a trapped rat. He pressed his back against the wall the Sorceress had put there and had the irrational desire to try to climb up it. At that point, it seemed like that impossible feat was the only means to escape without getting physical. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and breathed deeply to calm himself. When he reopened his eyes, Man-at-Arms was on one side of him and the Sorceress was on the other.

Adam met the Sorceress' intense stare as she stated, "Avoiding a problem is never the way to handle anything, Adam. You know that."

He looked down at the ground and immediately felt shame. He knew he should have faced his fears and gone to see what the Sorceress had to say as soon as she had summoned him, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. He didn't want to hear that because he was He-Man all he could ever be with Teela was a friend. He didn't want to know that He-Man would take even more away from Prince Adam. The notion had been unbearable, so he had decided he'd do anything he could to avoid it.

He should have known it wouldn't work. He supposed he had known, but he wished the avoidance hadn't ended so soon or so abruptly. He would have liked a couple of hours of foolishly believing he could avoid the future forever.

The Sorceress reached out a hand, touched his arm, and said sympathetically, "No one can hide from the future. It eventually comes, one way or another. The only thing we can do to influence the future and change it in a way that will fit our liking is to make wise decisions. Deciding to simply avoid those decisions won't stop anything. In fact, it might make it worse."

Grimacing at the fact that the Sorceress was clearly reading his thoughts right now, he tightly locked down his emotions and pushed her presence, which he could distinctly feel now, from his mind.

The Sorceress frowned at his actions and said, "Are you still going to fight me, Prince Adam, or are you going to hear what I have to say?"

He looked down again and replied, "I suppose I don't have a choice."

At that moment, Man-at-Arms spoke up. "You always have a choice, son. You can do things the easy way or the hard way. That is your choice, but you must hear what the Sorceress has to say. When has she ever led you wrong?"

He looked up at his mentor. "Do you know what she has to say?"

Duncan shook his head. "No, I don't, but I do know that the Sorceress has your best interest at heart, so she deserves to be heard."

Adam couldn't help but think thoughts which made him profoundly glad that he had blocked the Sorceress from his mind: _"No, the Sorceress has Eternia's best interest at heart, not Adam's_." His shoulders immediately slumped as he glanced at the woman in question. "What do you want me to know?" he asked finally.

"This isn't really the appropriate place to have this discussion. I want to talk to you at Castle Grayskull. Do you promise to accompany Duncan if we postpone this until we meet there?"

Knowing he was going to have to face this sooner or later, he mumbled, "I promise."

The Sorceress squeezed his arm one more time and whispered, "Thank you. And, stop worrying so much. This will only be a discussion. No demands or decrees will be given, I promise you."

At that, Adam felt a glimmer of hope, but it quickly diminished after realizing that demands might not be necessary after she tells him whatever she has to say. Maybe it would be information that would provide him with no other choice but to avoid having a relationship with Teela. He sighed and tried to think optimistically, but it was hard.

=)=)=)

"I've never known you to run from anything."

Adam didn't look at Man-at-Arms as they rode in a Windraider to Castle Grayskull. His mentor's words stung, but he knew he had to explain himself. Duncan was absolutely right: he had never run from anything…well, aside from running when he had to turn into He-Man, but that was different. "I know," he murmured miserably; "I just felt so helpless when the Sorceress said she needed to talk to me about Teela. I know Teela has a destiny, just like I did, and I know what Teela'Na gave up to be the Sorceress of Grayskull, so it isn't hard to put two and two together to realize what she has to say."

Duncan reached out, squeezed his hand comfortingly, and replied, "Look, son, you don't know that. There are a lot of factors that you're ignoring in light of you being so afraid of what the future might hold."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, Teela has to accept that destiny. The Sorceress told me she told you about her past. Then, you must know that Teela'Na was given the choice by Kuduk Ungol to accept the responsibility and powers of Grayskull."

He shook his head and grimaced. "Duncan, Teela'Na was destined to accept those powers, just as I was destined to accept the powers of He-Man. And, besides, I know Teela well, as do you. If she is given the choice to accept the Powers of Grayskull to defeat Skeletor, she will do it. It won't matter the sacrifice to herself or anyone else. Duty is something she takes very seriously and she knows she'll be able to do more as the Sorceress of Grayskull than the Captain of the Guard. She'll surely do more good as the Sorceress than she would Queen of Eternia."

Man-at-Arms sighed. "So, you believe we don't have free will? You believe we simply do whatever has been written somewhere?"

He paused. After several moments of contemplation, he answered, "No, I believe we have free will, but I believe our choices are already known. So, when the Sorceress sees the future, she sees the choices we are destined to make by our own free will, if that makes sense. So, it means Teela will choose to be the Sorceress of Grayskull. That pretty much seals the fate of our relationship. Teela can't be Queen of Eternia and the Sorceress of Grayskull, too."

"And, why can't she?" asked Duncan firmly.

Adam was surprised at Duncan's tone—he sounded slightly annoyed and demanding. "Well, she…" the prince stuttered, "…she won't be able to leave Castle Grayskull. It would leave the castle defenseless, and she'd be weakened. She'd have to use the Crystal of Allenar to be in her human form and even that doesn't last long. Being the Sorceress prevents her from having…" He trailed off.

After a lengthy pause, Duncan questioned, "Prevents her from having what? Love? A life? Adam, the Sorceress had a husband. He died in battle, fighting along side me. He loved Teela'Na and their life together. You don't actually believe the Sorceress conjured Teela's existence, do you?"

"No, I don't! I'm not saying at all that being the Sorceress of Grayskull prevents that person from loving someone or having the ability to marry. What I'm saying is that it prevents that person from having a normal life, and that, in and of itself, is an obstacle to love, raising children, and…ruling a planet along side a king."

Silence enveloped the Windraider as they both contemplated Adam's words and Duncan lowered the craft to the ground. They had arrived.

"Let's just see what the Sorceress has to say before we start worrying too heavily about these things, Adam," he suggested after they exited the vehicle and began walking to the drawbridge.

=)=)=)

Adam looked up at the Sorceress and tried to exude an air of confidence and stability, but he had a feeling he failed miserably at the attempt. The Sorceress smiled almost sadly as she walked down the throne steps to stand before him. "Why don't we sit down?" she proposed as she gestured towards a nearby doorway. They all walked into the other room where there was a large table and many chairs around it.

Everyone took a seat and stared at one another briefly. Adam sat on the right side of the table and the Sorceress sat on the left directly in front him. Man-at-Arms took the seat beside Adam, and Adam believed he did it to show his moral support. This was confirmed when Duncan rubbed his back several times reassuringly.

"I know your fears," the Sorceress stated abruptly. "I heard your discussion with Man-at-Arms on the way here."

Adam groaned and mumbled, "I wish you wouldn't pry into my private thoughts and discussions like that."

"You never cared before," she countered carefully. "You know I've watched you and your thoughts since you were born. I have to. It's my job to guide you, to know what is troubling you, to…"

He interrupted her. "Well, I care when it comes to Teela!" he snapped. Then, he immediately closed his eyes and said softly, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude or show any hostility. I'm really not angry with you. I'm just upset by the situation. I just wish I didn't have to deal with this."

The Sorceress nodded and said, "I do understand that, and I don't blame you. Despite that, it is something we must deal with anyway." When Adam nodded, she continued, "I'm just going to be upfront and let you know we're going to have two discussions today: the first one, I will discuss it as the Sorceress of Grayskull and the second, I will do it as Teela's mother."

Adam widened his eyes. " _A double whammy_!" he thought immediately as he realized the Sorceress had probably seen his actions and thoughts over the last couple of days. " _She knows what I thought about doing with her daughter! She knows what we've already done! She knows more than my mother and Man-at-Arms_!" With a cringe, he mumbled, "Oh, Ancients, kill me now."

The Sorceress couldn't help but laugh at his discomfiture. "We'll get to that in a second," she replied gently; "I'll try to make it as painless as possible for the both of us. For now, let's get down the business and then we'll get to the personal side of things."

=)=)=)

Adam stared at the table and waited for the Sorceress to begin. When it became obvious that she was waiting for him to look at her, he raised his eyes.

The Sorceress smiled at him and said, "For years, since Teela, Adora, and you were born, I tried to keep track of your futures. When it came to Teela's and yours for the past twenty years, it had always been consistent."

He swallowed roughly. "What did you see?" he asked softly.

She looked off to the side as if she were seeing the memory play out beside him. "I saw a future where Teela was the Sorceress of Grayskull and you were the king."

He glanced down at the table worriedly. "How old am I in this future? Why is my father not king? Did he merely step down or did he…did he die?"

She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "All I will say is that you seemed to be very happy at that point. It's not good to know too much about the future, Adam. Even I only see glimpses. If a person knows the future, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. He or she will make it happen even if there is a chance to avoid it."

He looked up hopefully. "So, you're saying that the future can change…that my fears are unfounded, that Teela doesn't have to be the Sorceress of Grayskull."

"No," she answered softly, still not letting go of his hand, "Teela doesn't have to be the Sorceress of Grayskull. The future can change…but yours never has until now."

Adam met her eyes with his nervously and asked, "How has it changed? Are things worse? Are we not happy?"

"I don't know." She seemed very perturbed.

He pulled his hand away from the Sorceress and questioned, "What do you mean?"

"I can no longer see your future or Teela's. The moment you two…decided to acknowledge your feelings, a blur is all I can see when I try to direct my vision to your future. I think it means that your future is uncertain right now. I'll admit I'm concerned."

He anxiously stood and paced the room. His thoughts were in chaos. "I've changed the future, somehow? How is that possible? How could I go 'off course' if I didn't even know I was on one? The decisions that I made felt natural…I didn't fight with myself when I was with Teela. If the future you saw was meant to be or the best choice, wouldn't my instincts have made me go in that direction? I don't understand."

The Sorceress stood and blocked his path. When Adam was within a foot of her, she grabbed both of his shoulders and replied, "This goes back to what you and Man-at-Arms were discussing on the way here. You do have free will. Nothing is set in stone. I can't explain it any better than that."

Adam took a deep breath and finally asked, "Why are you telling me this? Most people don't know the future anyway. They don't have an oracle watching over their lives telling them when they have changed the course of their future. Why do I need to know?"

"I want you to know the risks," she stated calmly.

"What risks?"

"I knew you would be happy. I knew you had a very solid future as the King of Eternia and her as the Sorceress of Grayskull. I knew you would be the greatest king Eternia has ever had…but I don't see that now. I don't see anything. I just want you to be aware that the choices you are making now are affecting that future, a future you would have enjoyed."

He sat down and stated confidently, "But I might enjoy the future that you will come to see."

"Yes, you might, but you still need to know that there is a possibility that you won't. All actions have consequences."

He looked down and pondered, "If you can't see my future anymore that must mean my decision to seek a relationship with Teela affects a huge event in our futures…one that would have made us happy." He shook his head. "I used to believe I didn't stand a chance to be with Teela. Maybe that's what has changed. Maybe now that I've gotten it in my head that I can possibly be with her, my future will be spent pining for someone I won't be with. Maybe I won't be happy."

The Sorceress sighed and observed, "You aren't usually this negative, Adam. Speaking as the Sorceress of Grayskull, I simply want you to know that there are risks with your current decisions about Teela, so I want you to proceed very carefully. That's really the big message I wanted to give you. And also, stop thinking that if Teela becomes the Sorceress of Grayskull, she can't also be the Queen of Eternia. History shows us that is not true. Your ancestor, King Grayskull, was the Champion of Eternia and Queen Veena was the first Sorceress."

He gaped at her. "Really?"

"Really."

Adam closed his eyes for a moment and thought about the history lessons he had read about them as a child. After several seconds, his eyes shot open and he exclaimed, "But didn't King Grayskull…"

The Sorceress shook her head and said, "What happened to him has nothing to do with your future with Teela. You are different people in different times under different circumstances. I only bring your ancestors up to show you that the Champion of Eternia and the Sorceress of Grayskull being together romantically is not forbidden. If Teela does still have that future when I can finally see it again, do not take it as a sign that your love is not meant to be."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you, Sorceress."

She nodded but otherwise did not acknowledge his thanks. Instead Adam watched her face contort into one that showed profound sternness. "Now, I will speak as Teela's mother," she announced.

Adam fidgeted and looked beside him at Man-at-Arms for help. His mentor lifted his hands as if to say he didn't have any idea what to do.

The Sorceress sat back down at the table and stated, "With all this worrying that you have displayed over the last two days, Adam, it's obvious that despite the novelty of your relationship, you have big plans for the future with my daughter. I admit I've always known of your feelings, but since you believed they would always be unrequited I didn't address it, but now that the future is uncertain and I know your intentions, I want to be very clear on certain things."

He squirmed and waited to hear what she had to say.

He didn't have to wait long. "Like Duncan, I cannot think of another person more worthy to be my daughter's husband, so despite your fears on the subject, I do not object. What I do object to is—how do I put this delicately—your reluctance to decide what your intentions are on a subject that your mother and you have discussed recently."

He gasped. He was mortified to have confirmation that she knew about his thoughts, his and Teela's actions, and his conversation with his mother. He glanced at Duncan worriedly.

She raised her hand to get his attention and said, "Do not worry about Man-at-Arms right now. This is between you and me. If there is even a chance of you walking down that road, I want you to handle it with a clear head."

He nodded immediately. "Of course!"

"Do not hurt my daughter, Adam," she stated sharply. "She is as anxious as you are, and she does love you. You need to be aware of that. With that being said, I want to give you some food for thought. Teela does not know your secret. You need to think about that as you proceed in this relationship. Think about how far you take things while she is still unaware of that secret. She still has feelings for He-Man that baffle her since she knows she loves you. When she comes to realize that you are one and the same, she might be angry because she has spent many days and nights trying to understand her feelings and not being able to. You need to think about these things and make the best decisions possible when it comes to your relationship. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Wide-eyed, he nodded. "Y-yes," he stammered.

The Sorceress nodded, smiled, and then stated, "Good. Well, hurry back to the palace. She's looking for you."


	6. The Future Shared

Teela's Visitor Chapter 6

Most of the ride back to the Royal Palace was made in silence. Adam kept contemplating where to take things from here in regards to his relationship with Teela. The Sorceress had warned him: he was changing the future right now, and he wanted that future to be filled with happiness. He didn't want to do anything that would cause Teela any heartache, so he fervently prayed that seeking a relationship with one another would only make things better. He wanted to believe that love always made things better, even though he knew rationally that wasn't always the case.

In the distance, he saw the Eternian Palace and smiled. The Sorceress had stated that Teela had been looking for him while he had been at Castle Grayskull, and if the past was any indication of the future—which it was—she was still searching for him. In the past, when he didn't show up for his combat lesson, she would search for him all day until she found him. He used to find those actions somewhat annoying, especially when he had wanted to rest up after saving someone as He-Man, but at this particular moment, he loved it. He couldn't wait to see her again after the morning that he had just endured. He knew things would seem bearable as soon as he saw her. She always had that ability, even before they had admitted their feelings for one another, to calm him and make him believe that everything would be okay.

"Are you ready?" asked Man-at-Arms after they were above the palace and landing.

He didn't know exactly what Man-at-Arms was referring to, but he nodded anyway. "Yes, more than ready," he answered. They landed safely onto their launch pad, and as soon as Adam stepped out of the vehicle, he announced, "I'm going to the kitchen to grab something to eat. I haven't had anything since lunchtime yesterday."

At Duncan's nod, he started to turn away but abruptly stopped when he heard a stern voice yell, "There you are!"

He turned slightly to look in the direction of that voice, when he heard another shout, "ADAM!"

Soon he found himself on the ground, covered by a large green tiger. Cringer rested the entire length of his body on his and started licking his face frantically. The prince could hardly breathe since the cat was licking him so much. Finally, though, he managed to say, "Cut it out, Cringer! You're killing me!"

The tiger pulled his face away slightly and gave him one last lick on the chin before replying to justify his actions, "Y-you've been missing all morning! You even missed breakfast and it was so good! I was worried."

He couldn't help but laugh. " _Leave it to Cringer to worry hysterically because I missed a meal_ ," he thought. But of course, he knew he had done the same thing when Cringer had been missing and missed meals in the past. He gave the tiger an affectionate pat and said, "Well, I'm fine, so let me up."

As Cringer moved away and Adam got to his feet, the owner of the original voice that he had heard walked up to him. He looked at her face and immediately frowned. Teela looked angry, very angry. Luckily, though, it wasn't directed towards him. Instead, she was glaring at her father!

=)=)=)

"Father, what were you doing?"

Man-at-Arms and Adam both raised their brows in response to Teela's question. She sounded and looked very upset.

"Uh, Teela?" Adam questioned cautiously. "What's wrong?"

She immediately softened her expression as she turned her attention towards him and said, "You already know. You told me what Father said, remember? And, on top of that, it's obvious he just took you away from the palace to talk to you alone about me! I should have been there!" Getting a little angry again, she turned back to Duncan and said, "Father, you know I love you. Nothing will ever change that, but Adam and I are adults. We don't need your permission to see one another, and if you want to talk to Adam about me, then please make sure I'm there. I have a right for my opinions and wants to be heard, too!"

Duncan gaped at her before replying, dumbfounded, "O-of course, you do, my daughter."

Before either individual could get anything more out, Adam felt the need to interject. "Teela," he whispered softly, brushing her back tenderly, "your father didn't whisk me away from the palace to talk about you. The Sorceress of Grayskull wanted to see us."

Immediately, she turned startled eyes towards him. "What?" she gasped. She then looked at her father and blushed. "Oh, well…he still doesn't…"

Adam interrupted her again by saying, "It turns out my earlier fears were unwarranted."

"They were?" she asked, unsurely.

He nodded. "Yes." He watched her blush grow even darker from embarrassment. He grinned at her amusedly and added, "And, you were wrong about one more thing."

"Oh, Ancients," she mumbled. "What is it?"

He smiled brightly, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "We do need his permission."

She jumped a little. "What?"

He pulled away and nodded at her. "Well, we might not actually need it, but I want it. I want to do things the right way." He then turned to face Duncan, pulled Teela to his side, and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Duncan," he said confidently, "you know how I feel about your daughter and you know me better than anyone, so your approval and acceptance would mean the world to me…to the both of us. Do I have permission to court your daughter?"

Duncan immediately smiled and laughed a little. "After everything I've seen, heard, and gone through today, I don't think I have much of a choice!"

Adam joined in and laughed, as well, after adding, "I think my morning beats yours! Trust me!" Teela simply stared at them disbelievingly.

Eventually, Man-at-Arms quieted, clasped Adam firmly on the shoulder, and answered, "Putting all jokes aside, you already know I can't think of anyone more worthy than you. Yes, you have my permission to court my daughter."

Adam squeezed Teela's side tightly for a second and grinned down at her.

Teela smiled as well but hurriedly looked down at their shoes to seemingly study them. He knew she was still embarrassed about her little tirade and maybe a little shy about what just happened. To comfort her, he slipped both of his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. She did the same to him as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

=)=)=)

He stretched his legs out on the blanket under him and leaned against a tree. Teela had suggested going on a picnic to the Evergreen Forest to get away from the palace so they could talk and so he could finally eat after missing two meals in a row. He had eagerly accepted.

His stomach growled loudly as Teela sat in front of him, facing him, and began to pull all the food out of the basket that they had brought with them. She immediately laughed at the sound and handed him a sandwich. "Hurry up and eat this!" she exclaimed; "Never skip two meals in a row again!"

He rolled his eyes at her playfully in response to her stern Captain of the Guard voice and said, "Yes, ma'am."

She continued to take things out of the basket and shook her head in amusement when she finished. After handing him something to drink, she chastised teasingly, "I seriously don't know what you'd do without me, Adam. I have to train you to defend yourself and be your bodyguard. And now, I have to make sure you eat!" She glared at him and tried to hold it steady.

Wanting to unnerve her and see her blush, he grinned mischievously and whispered, "Yes, I know. And, don't forget you're also teaching me the art of courting."

As anticipated, she blushed brightly and looked down at her hands. "Y-yes," she stammered. "That is another thing."

He gave into the desire to laugh and it rang throughout the forest. She reached out to push on his shoulder, but he immediately grabbed her hand. As they intertwined their fingers together, he ordered gently, "Get your food and come here."

Freeing her hand, Teela grabbed a sandwich and drink before scooting across the blanket to rest at Adam's side. Instantly, he lifted his arm and draped it across her shoulders, pulling her close. As he took another bite of his sandwich, she snuggled into his side and ate, as well.

For long moments, they simply consumed their food and watched Cringer chase butterflies. They laughed together and encouraged the tiger to get them. As the great cat followed the bugs and things got quieter as he moved away, Adam and Teela both asked simultaneously, "What are you thinking?"

They laughed as they turned to look at each other. "You first," Adam then stated.

She shook her head emphatically and replied, "Oh, no! You first!"

He immediately brushed his hand that was around her up and down the upper portion of her arm. He debated what he should really say. Half the time, his mind was on what the Sorceress had told him about their futures, but the other half, he was noticing that this was the first time Teela and he were truly away from the palace and everyone else since their first encounter. They were alone…aside from Cringer.

He leaned forward away from the tree and knew despite how badly he wanted to take advantage of their location, he needed to talk about what he had learned at Grayskull. "I'm thinking about a lot of things," he began.

"About us?" she questioned.

He nodded. "Yes." He paused for a moment and then said, "I guess I might as well come clean with you, Teela."

He immediately noticed that she looked worried. He wondered what she was thinking. To allay whatever fears she had, he announced hurriedly, "The Sorceress of Grayskull contacted me this morning, because she wanted to talk to me about our futures."

He knew whatever Teela had expected, it hadn't been that. She arched her brow and almost seemed to have trouble comprehending his words. Eventually, she wrinkled her face in confusion and asked, "She wanted to talk about our futures? As in Eternia's or mine and yours?"

"Ours," he answered. He could tell she was surprised by his answer.

"What did she say?"

Adam immediately shifted so he could face her. He knew he couldn't tell her everything, so he decided he would only deal with him and talk about her when he had to. He grabbed her hand and held it tenderly. "She told me that she has watched my future since the day I was born. For the first time in my life, my future is beginning to change."

Teela looked worried. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "She said she always saw a happy future for me, but when you and I decided to be together…" He paused as he saw pure fear cross Teela's face. He knew what she was thinking. She was scared he was going to tell her that she had ruined their futures. Once again, he rushed to explain. "She can no longer see our futures!"

When her jaw dropped, he added, "That's not necessarily a bad thing! It's just that we acknowledged our feelings for one another, so now our future is uncertain. The future is dependent on our decisions, as the Sorceress explained to me. Well, I think the future is uncertain now because we're uncertain about what will become of our relationship. We haven't gone public, yet, and we're both nervous. Surely, that's the cause."

She calmed and nodded slightly. "Yes…that sounds plausible."

He nodded, too, and continued, "She was merely telling me that we need to proceed carefully." He looked at her and waited to hear what she had to say.

She met his gaze and after several seconds, she replied, "I thought we were already proceeding carefully."

He smiled. "Well, yeah, we were…are. I just wanted you to know why I was at Castle Grayskull this morning since it dealt with you. After all, you did give your father a hard time about discussing our relationship without you being there."

She immediately shook her head. "Oh, don't remind me!" She pushed on him. "How could you let me say that to him?"

He laughed and replied with hilarity, "How in the world could I have stopped you? Besides, I did my best when I realized why you were so angry at him! You know you would have said a lot worse if I hadn't intervened."

She agreed, "Yeah, I know. I guess I'll have to go and apologize to Father this afternoon." She looked down at their joined hands for a moment and then continued, "So, is the Sorceress concerned about our futures? Are you?"

Adam pursed his lips and answered truthfully, "She's concerned because she can't see it, but she…seemed okay with the idea of us courting. As for me, I might be concerned for the same reasons the Sorceress is since she can usually see my future, but I have…faith in us."

She smiled and whispered, "Me, too." She immediately leaned to the side and met his lips with hers for a chaste kiss. When she pulled back, she questioned, "I wonder what she saw in my future."

He immediately fidgeted and replied, "She didn't really say. She just said we were happy."

"That's it?" She looked like she didn't believe him.

He shrugged. "Well, she said I was going to be a great king, but…she didn't really get into you." His mind scrambled for an explanation and then finally stated, "I mean, it wouldn't have been right for her to discuss you without you being there, right?"

She seemed to think about that for a moment and then agreed. They both grew quiet and after they looked to see where Cringer was and not seeing him, she questioned, "So, what else were you thinking about? You said a lot of things were on your mind."

He immediately grinned and blushed. He noticed that Teela had raised a brow in response. "I was noticing that we were away from palace." Her brow arched higher. "Alone," he added.

It dawned on her what he meant and she chuckled a little nervously. "Yes, that's what I was thinking about earlier, too."

"That we're alone?" he clarified, wiggling his eyebrows up and down playfully.

Instead of her laughing like he had expected her to, she looked down at the ground. He could barely see her face. "Sort of," she answered softly. "I was actually thinking about what we could do here because we're alone."

Immediately, he looked around to see where Cringer was again. He scooted back to rest against the tree again and asked, "Oh, really? What kind of things were you thinking about?"

She seemed to hunch even lower. He could see that her skin was reddening. "Use your imagination," she mumbled.

"I'd rather you show me," he whispered.

Her head snapped up at that.

He immediately cringed, worried that he frightened or offended her. "I'm just teasing!" he explained rapidly. "I'm just happy being with you."

Teela grinned and replied, "Yeah, I'm happy being with you, too." She scooted closer to Adam again and picked up his hand. She started playing with it nervously by rubbing her nails across his palm and fingers.

He gasped and she looked up at him in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry! Ticklish?"

"No," he answered immediately. "That—that felt good."

"Oh," she whispered as she looked back down at his hand. Slowly, she started rubbing her fingernails across his palm again and he squirmed. Smiling a little, she raked her fingernails up his arm and brought it back down to his palm. Immediately, he moaned.

She looked up in response and inhaled sharply. He was looking at her with hooded eyes and his eyes had grown to a deeper blue. "Adam?" she questioned.

"Teela?"

It seemed like she didn't know what she wanted to say so she decided to take action. She took the hand she was holding and moved it so he was wrapping it around her waist. She then leaned on his chest slightly and kissed him on the lips. The moan he gave now was louder than the one before.

He brought his other arm around her and crushed her body to him. Only their lips and the upper portions of their torsos were touching, but it was driving Adam crazy. He opened his mouth to allow them to explore each other as he slipped one of his arms lower and wrapped it under her posterior. He then moved her entire body closer and she took the hint. She moved her right leg to the other side of his waist and straddled him.

Adam immediately clutched her to him, so they could press against each other. They didn't cease in their kisses, but his hands couldn't seem to find a place to settle. At one moment, he used one to hold the back of her head, but at other times, he used both to rush across her sides, her hips, her thighs…He couldn't get enough of her.

After a few more minutes of intense kisses and Adam touching every portion of her back, she pulled away. "Adam," she gasped.

"Yeah," he replied, panting heavily. He met her gaze and they simply stared at each other. He could tell she wanted something but she wouldn't ask. He knew she was probably too nervous. Swallowing and hoping she wanted the same, he whispered softly, "Can I touch you? You know…like before?"

She gasped. It seemed like the words alone brought her pleasure. Her gasp did the same to him. He closed his eyes in elation as she said, "Yes."

He leaned forward and met her lips again as he ran his hands slowly and softly at first over her chest, but eventually he grew bolder and more confidant with his touch.

"Adam," Teela moaned every so often.

Soon, Adam drifted one of his hands lower and instinctively placed it over her abdomen like he had on that first night. He knew it was no longer her time so she wasn't needing his touch there anymore. He had simply gone there out of habit, even though that habit had developed with only two interactions between them. Teela then moaned loudly and pressed her lower body against him. Just as he started to think hesitantly about where else his hand might go and if they were ready for such a move, a loud voice boomed in his head.

" _ADAM_!"

He pulled away sharply, realizing immediately what he was thinking and doing. He breathed deeply to calm himself several times. Teela looked at him questioningly, but right now he was too mortified to speak.

The Sorceress had spoken to him and he could still feel her presence!


	7. The Question of Power

Teela's Visitor Chapter 7

If there had been a time in his life when he had been more embarrassed, or possibly even more terrified, than he was now, he couldn't remember when it was. And, he knew that fact had to be showing on his face clearly, because Teela was staring at him worriedly.

"Adam?" she questioned, touching her fingers against his cheek so that he would make eye contact with her. "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer her. He merely stared because at that moment, the Sorceress began speaking telepathically. " _You must hurry to Castle Grayskull immediately! Skeletor is on his way to attack the castle_!"

Adam continued to stare at Teela as he felt the Sorceress' presence recede: he didn't know what he was going to do or say. Here he was with Teela on his lap and they had just been making-out hot and heavy. How could he leave without sending the message that he objected to what they were doing?

She was obviously growing impatient with his silence, because her voice grew a little sharper: "Adam, tell me what's wrong! Did I…?"

He quickly shushed her as he searched his mind frantically for an answer to give her. He then looked deeper into the forest and replied, "I think I heard Cringer yelling." He pretended to listen carefully and then nodded. He stood as he held her tightly and set her on her feet once he got to his. "I'm sorry, but I have to go check on him! There's no telling what kind of mess he's gotten himself into."

"I didn't hear anything," said Teela unsurely, "but I'll help you look for him."

She started to take a step forward, but Adam brought his hands to her shoulders and exclaimed, "No! No! Uh, you should pack up our food. I'm sure he's just gotten himself tangled in some vines or something. I'll be back soon."

He didn't wait for any rejection of his ideas. He ran deeper into the forest and berated himself silently for not coming up with a better excuse, but what else could he have said? " _I really do need to find Cringer, and I can't tell her that Castle Grayskull is under attack, because she would want to come and I wouldn't be able to change into He-Man._ " His shoulders slumped as he scoured the land for his tiger. He wasn't upset that he couldn't seem to find him; instead, he was upset because he knew he wouldn't "be back soon" and Teela would think he had abandoned her. Not to mention, he didn't know how she would react to that belief, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be good…and it might be the end of their relationship.

He squeezed his eyes shut and stopped running. For a brief second, he wanted to turn around and go back to Teela. Surely, the Sorceress could handle Skeletor just once on her own, but he forcibly stopped those thoughts as soon as they began. He was the one who was supposed to protect the Sorceress and the castle—it was his job. He had to protect Eternia at all cost or he wouldn't even have a chance with Teela anyway. They'd all be dead or enslaved. He didn't have any other choice.

Luckily, when he reopened his eyes, he saw Cringer running to him happily. It was one less thing he had to worry about doing in this short period of time. "Adam," the tiger exclaimed, "I-I found a whole field with butterflies right over…"

He almost interrupted the cat to tell him that it was time for He-Man and Battlecat. But instead, he thought maybe he could try to placate Teela and her fury with a believable excuse for his departure. "I need you to do me a favor, Cringer. I need to go to Castle Grayskull, because Skeletor is about to attack. Can you go to Teela and tell her—uh, I don't know—that a woman approached us saying she needed help from a member of the Royal Family immediately so I went with her?"

At his friend's astonished look, he explained, "Well, it's not really a lie! The Sorceress does need me! I just don't want Teela getting mad at me for fleeing! I don't have the excuse of running away from danger right now…and besides, I don't want her to see me that way anymore! I can't be the cowardly prince—Adam has got to be a better man than I have been! She deserves more from her…whatever I am. He-Man's had my best qualities for far too long and I need to show her who I really am as much as I can! I can't start doing that by running away when we started kissing."

Now, the tiger looked amazed at the news that they had been kissing. The prince sighed, ignoring his response. "Please, Cringer, if you've got something better to tell her, then tell her but I have to go now. He-Man is needed!"

The tiger nodded and responded, "I'll tell her, but she's going to be m-mad that you ran off without her being there to prot-t-tect you."

Adam pulled out his sword, looked at Cringer before changing into He-Man, and replied, "I know, but being mad at me for that is better than the alternative."

=)=)=)

He-Man didn't know what Skeletor had been up to, but he hadn't achieved whatever it had been. When he had shown up to Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress and he had taken care of Skeletor, Beastman, and Trap Jaw in record time. They had merely spat antagonistic words at one another, and he had basically thrown them around. Once in a while, the Sorceress had gotten involved when he was about to be hit from behind, and at those times, she used her magic to throw the person into a nearby mud pool. Within no time, Skeletor had called the retreat and threatened that there would be another time. As usual.

He stood on the drawbridge now and waved at the Sorceress. He wanted to hurry up and get back to Teela, because only the Ancients knew how she responded to the excuse Cringer had given her…and he wanted to get to her as quickly as he could to calm any hostilities that might have developed. Now that he knew it was possible for him to have a future with Teela, he wanted to do everything in his power to make her happy…and that meant no longer being the Prince Adam that he had been for so long now. He wanted to make her proud, and he wanted to be honest with her…

"And, we must discuss that," he heard a voice say. Once again, the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull showed him she could read his thoughts.

Sighing, he focused his attention on her and said aloud, "You know, I never thought I'd find myself saying I hate any of your abilities, but recently…it's been happening."

"I know," she replied sadly, "but we are at a crucial crossroad in your life, He-Man, so I need to be aware of what's going on at all times. You need to be more cautious about what you decide right now, so I'm paying more attention to you personally than I usually do. If your future changes for the worst, I need to be aware of what decision you have made that caused such a result, so I'm monitoring you and your thoughts on a regular basis. I do not mean to cross any boundaries, but we must understand what our roles are in regards to the protection of Eternia and Castle Grayskull. Yes, my job is to protect this castle's secrets whereas yours is to protect this castle and the planet as a whole…but our jobs are also to protect each other. If either of us fails, the other will soon thereafter. That's why I…know so much about your personal life right now."

He-Man looked down at the ground nervously. He didn't want to question if she knew what he had been doing and thinking when she contacted him earlier, but not knowing was driving him crazy. He groaned and she interrupted him before he could speak.

"Maybe we should discuss this in the castle," she suggested.

He realized abruptly that he was outside—which really showed what mind frame he was in right now—so he nodded and stepped inside as soon as the drawbridge lowered. He changed himself back into Adam before he approached the throne room. Why he felt the almost overwhelming desire to do so baffled him and he supplied himself with a few possible answers: first, he didn't want to be He-Man during this discussion because in that form he felt obligated to do whatever the Sorceress told him to do and second, in this form, he was the prince and in the hierarchy of the planet, she did not have the right to tell him to do anything.

He sighed and shook his head at the autocratic thought. That wasn't him at all—he never liked playing the "prince card," but he was afraid of the discussion they were about to have. Did she know what she had interrupted earlier? Would she demand him to keep his hands off her daughter? She would have every right to do so, but what if she went further and demanded that he leave her alone all together? What if she demanded that he maintain the status quo in his relationship with Teela? After all, he had merely thought about wanting to be honest with Teela and the Sorceress had immediately suggested that they talk about it. He didn't want things to remain the same with Teela! He wanted to be a better man for her and he wanted to include her in everything that he had been going through. But what if the Sorceress forbade it? Coming in as the prince instead of Castle Grayskull's…warrior made him feel slightly better, even if he wasn't at all sure that he could make himself use his social status as a means to get his way. He knew he probably couldn't.

He rubbed a hand warily over his eyes and sighed yet again. He walked into the throne room and the Sorceress was already seated high above him.

"You looked troubled, Adam," she stated. Her words didn't hold any recriminations or reproaches—it was merely an observation.

"I am," he agreed simply. He didn't know where this conversation was going to go, so he allowed her to lead him.

"I think I know what's troubling you," she stated calmly, "and I can understand the emotion. I am Teela's mother, and I have a feeling if we don't address things more candidly than we did earlier, we're going to continue to find ourselves in this awkward situation again and again."

The prince quickly agreed by nodding and looked up to her. He admitted, "I don't like feeling that you're my opposition or that I have to hide anything from you…but I also don't like that you do know so much. And, on that end, I hate guessing what you do or don't know. I might end up telling you stuff that I didn't want you to know when you didn't in the first place. This is just completely…frustrating."

The Sorceress laughed and walked down slowly from her throne. "There are ways to know, Adam."

He scoffed a little and replied, "I don't want to ask you. That's just embarrassing, and…"

"No," she interrupted. "There are other ways to know. Adam, have you ever questioned why Adora seems to have more abilities than you when she's She-Ra?"

Her question startled him. It seemed to come out of left field. He coughed a little to try to alleviate some of the discomfort he felt at discussing this topic. He replied, "I'll confess that it has crossed my mind. I have wondered why she can do things that I can't."

She didn't seem surprised by his answer. Instead, she reassured him, "There are many things you can do that she can't, as well. You both have different missions, if you will. Your abilities mainly come from your strength. You are the castle's fighter, so to speak, whereas She-Ra is a protector of the innocent, not that you don't protect others, too. You do."

He shrugged. "So, what's your point? What does this have to do with our current predicament?"

"My point is there are things you can do as Adam and He-Man that you have not opened yourself up to. Because you hold the Sword of Power, you naturally assumed that everything you do is tied to your strength and you never looked beyond that. When your sword combined with the Sword of the Ancients, I thought at that time you might look deeper to see what changed in your abilities, but you never did. Adora didn't know anything about this castle and I didn't tell her about her sword like I did with you, so she was more open to things."

"So, can I heal people and talk to animals like my sister can?" he asked disbelievingly.

She chuckled. "No, you can't, but you stated a moment ago that you hated having to guess what I do or do not know. In other words, you want to know when I'm present in your mind. Just like you can reach out to me with your mind instead of with your sword like Adora does, you can do other things with your mind. For example, you recently discovered that you can block my telepathy. Well, another thing you can do is tell when I'm in your thoughts without my having to speak to you. I suppose that knowledge would help to allay your fears when it comes to Teela. You would know when I'm present and could cease doing any actions or thoughts that might be embarrassing to you."

Adam breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, that would be helpful," he agreed. "Can you teach me to do this?"

She nodded. "I will do my best. I can't really show you how to do it. You must simply want to do it, and we must practice it so you can get used to the sensations."

"Okay, so let's do this," he replied before he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He concentrated and waited to see if he could feel something. When he felt nothing, he opened his eyes.

She smiled and informed him, "Trying to feel me when you expect it isn't going to help us. After all, you were doing it to block me earlier in the day. It's easy to feel me when you sit silently and wait for me to show up, knowing that I will. We must do it when you're unaware of when it will happen."

"Okay," he said, slowly, contemplating her words, "so how can we do that?"

"By distracting you."

"And, how will we do that?"

"Well, we can discuss my knowing what you were thinking and doing with Teela earlier or we can discuss whatever else is troubling you."

He gasped as he felt his cheeks grow hot.

"And, no," she continued calmingly, "I wasn't spying on you at that particular moment. When I contacted you, though, I read your surface thoughts and I knew the situation you were in. It happens quite instinctively on my part, but I didn't have the knowledge beforehand and I didn't seek it out."

He was relieved to hear that she hadn't spied on him and Teela intentionally, but he was now uncomfortable with the knowledge that she had a front row seat for one of the most intimate moments in his life. " _Kill me now_ ," he thought.

The Sorceress replied, "No, I'm not going to kill you. I'm just going to remind you of what I said earlier: you need to proceed carefully in this relationship. Even though I cannot see your future at this time, I have a feeling that if Teela and you…make love before she discovers your secret, she will not take it so well. After all, she will feel like she slept with a stranger. She might feel betrayed."

Adam nodded consistently as he stared at the ground. He thought to himself, " _Well, that's an effective way to tell me she doesn't want me to sleep with her daughter,"_ he thought. But he knew regardless of her motives she was right. "Does this mean I can tell her who I am?" he asked hopefully despite already knowing what her answer would be. Then, he jumped as he felt something push into his mind. He didn't know how to describe the sensation, but it felt…unsettling. He looked up to question silently if the feeling came from her.

The Sorceress smiled and nodded. "You didn't feel me a moment ago, so I decided to do something else. I purposely entered your mind a little more than I usually do, so you would feel a bigger reaction. Now, I'm going to do it like I normally do. It will feel the same but on a smaller scale. Ready?"

He nodded and the Sorceress began speaking again.

"As for your question, no, unfortunately, you cannot tell Teela at this time. I don't feel comfortable with you making such a big decision until I can see the future again."

Adam frowned and asked, "But what if this is why you can't see the future? What if I need to make this decision in order for you to see how things turn out?"

The Sorceress seemed to think about this and then replied, "It's possible, but I highly doubt it since my ability to see your future stopped when you two admitted your feelings to one another, not when you started to question if you should tell her your secret. Besides, I believe since your relationship is so new, she might not be able to control her reactions to the news right now. I think we should give the both of you a chance to relax into your new roles in each other's lives before we complicate things."

"Yeah, and that's assuming that she still wants to court after I left her in the forest today," he stated before he felt a slight prod in his mind. He grinned instantly in success despite his troubles. He then announced, "I felt you."

"Good," she praised. "Let's practice it a few more times to be sure you got the hang of it."

He nodded in agreement and then asked, "Then, can you tell me about more of my powers and we'll practice those too, right?"

She shook her head.

=)=)=)

He didn't call anyone to come to pick him up. Adam wanted to walk all the way back to the palace from Castle Grayskull, so he'd have time to think. And, he did have a lot to contemplate:

First, he was nervous about how Teela would react when he showed back up. Would she be angry or understanding? He hoped it was the latter, because he didn't want to hit a bump in their relationship so soon, but he knew that might be inevitable. With a sigh, he then thought about the Sorceress' revelation that he had more powers than he knew about. In just one day, he had discovered he could do a lot more with his mind than he had first thought (and as Adam, not just He-Man!)…but the thing that was so frustrating was that she refused to tell him about any of the others! Just like he had discovered on his own that Cringer could turn into Battlecat, he had to discover his other abilities, as well. He groaned in frustration. How in the world would he be able to figure them all out? He didn't see how it was possible. And, why couldn't she just tell him? And, finally, he acknowledged that despite her showing him how to feel her presence, he was still nervous about her watching him and Teela. After all, what was stopping her from watching them in her mirror? He knew she sometimes did that, and she would probably do so at this time when she felt keeping tabs on him was so necessary. He wouldn't be able to feel her when she was watching him that way. He groaned at his paranoia. Maybe she would avoid doing it that way since she knew he was so sensitive about it.

With these thoughts churning in his mind over and over again, Adam wasn't aware of anything else until he walked inside his bedchambers. He had been on autopilot. When he sat down on his bed and lay back, he closed his eyes for several minutes to both rest and try to forget about everything for a brief moment.

When he reopened his eyes, he was surprised to find Teela standing over him. "And, where have you been?" she asked softly. He had expected her to sound more fierce and angry since he had left her behind as he went on a supposed mission.

He swallowed roughly as he sat up and replied, "Did Cringer tell you what happened?"

She nodded and said calmly, "Oh, he told me some lie about you needing to accompany a lady who needed help from a member of the Royal Family."

His jaw immediately dropped. "Teela!" he exclaimed. "That's actually the tru—" His words were stopped by Teela kissing him soundly on the lips.

When she pulled back, she pressed their foreheads together as she whispered, "Ancients, Adam, you make me feel like I'm some kind of lecher who is out to steal your innocence!"

Once again, he found himself goggling at her. "What?" he gasped in bewilderment.

She instantly pulled back and stared at him intently. "Listen, Adam, I know what happened today in the forest. I…was a little aggressive and I scared you. You thought I wanted to go farther in our relationship than you're ready to go right now, so you made an excuse to get away. I'm not mad—I understand the reaction. Just…next time tell me instead of running away when it comes to matters like this." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "I am willing to go as slowly as you want. Remember, I'm just as new at this as you are."

He frowned as he shook his head. "Teela, you've got this all wrong! I'm the one who pulled you into my lap. Believe me, I didn't want to stop. I want you badly…" Then, realizing what he was saying, he added, "I mean, I do want to go slowly. I don't want to rush into things, but I wasn't scared of what we were doing." He smiled and pulled her to him. He arranged her legs so she was straddling him again like she had been earlier. He then leaned his head back, brushed his lips against her ear, and whispered, "I love you sitting like this, I love exploring your body, and I love discovering new things every time I do."

"Oh yeah?" she questioned, her voice getting deeper with obvious desire from resuming their earlier embrace. "What new things have you discovered?"

He grinned and brought his lips to the center of her throat. He kissed her there and sucked on it slightly, just once, to get her to moan. He didn't repeat the action, because he didn't want to give her a hickey in such an obvious location. Instead, he stated, "I discovered that you're very sensitive at the center of your throat and when I touch you there, it drives you crazy."

"That it does," she whispered back huskily.

In response to her voice, he ran his hands down her sides and settled them on her bare thighs. He looked down and smirked devilishly. "Oh, I do love your uniform."

She couldn't help it. Teela laughed and replied, "Yeah, I bet you do. I'm showing a lot more skin than you are."

He raised his brow slightly and asked, "Do you want to even things up a bit?" At her questioning gaze, he said, "I'm not implying that we do anything besides…explore, like we've been doing."

She nodded and just as Adam was about to unbuckle the belt around his tunic, she stopped his motions by putting a hand over his. He looked at her worriedly, and it was on the tip of his tongue to apologize, but she spoke. "Let me do that," she ordered.

Relief and desire filled him at her words. "Gladly," he agreed. He dropped his hands to her waist and watched as she unbuckled him and then pushed his tunic from his shoulders. She seemed to smack her lips softly as she stared at him in his tight-fitting t-shirt. "Do you want this off, too?" he asked.

She nodded at the same moment that she started pulling on the hem of his shirt. He lifted his arms so she could pull it off of him, and once his top half was completely bare, she whispered, "Your body is so gorgeous, Adam."

He smiled and said softly, "I'm glad you think so. I just wish I could make the same observation about you."

Teela looked down at her uniform and stated matter-of-factly, "If I wanted to return the favor, I'd practically have to take my whole uniform off."

He paused and resisted the urge to run his eyes down her uniform. He didn't want her to know her words made him imagine taking it off of her at that very moment. He closed his eyes, pulled her close to hug her, and replied, "It's okay. I'm happy with things as they are." He then pulled back and met her lips with his. They brushed against one another softly and paused in their actions every so often to gaze at one another.

After several moments of repeating their actions, Adam felt something hard shift between them. He pulled back slightly and watched as Teela pulled the outer armor from her leotard. His jaw dropped in shock, but as soon as she rubbed her entire body against his without the hindrance of cold metal, any thoughts he might have had fled. He crushed her body to his with his hands and then used his thigh muscles to scoot back on the bed. Without pulling his lips from hers, he shifted his legs, turned their bodies, laid Teela on her butt, and then pushed her onto his pillows.

He paused to gaze at her. At that moment, he realized he was living a moment from one of his fantasies: Teela was in his room and on his bed with only her leotard and his tights and fur-pants between them. And, best of all, she was looking at him wantonly, like she truly wanted him. He leaned over her and kissed her again briefly. When he pulled back, he realized one thing was different from his fantasies that he had in the past, so he asked, "Can I take your hair down?"

When she nodded, he took off her headpiece and the bobby pins that held her hair up. When her locks tumbled down her neck, he moaned, laid his body over hers, and whispered, "You are so beautiful, Teela. I can hardly believe that you're here and that you're real." He kissed her chastely one more time before he pulled back and said, "I know we keep finding ourselves in situations like this, but I hope you know this isn't just a physical thing for me. I…" He stared into her eyes and paused. It was too soon to tell her.

She leaned forward and met his lips with hers again. "I know what you mean. I feel the same way," she agreed softly. As Adam smiled and ran his fingers through her hair, she reached up to her shoulders ands started pushing her leotard down her arms.

Adam moaned at the sight and pulled back slightly to lay half on top and half to the side of her. He watched her actions with interest, and just as she was about to reveal her breasts to him for the first time, he wondered worriedly if she would regret even this when she found out he was He-Man.

=)=)=)


	8. Those Three Little Words

Teela's Visitor Chapter 8

If he wanted to stop her, Adam knew he had to stop her now. Teela had already revealed the upper portion of her breasts and only a few more tugs would reveal them completely. He kept his eyes on that portion of her body for a second longer, groaned in frustration, and then reached out a shaky hand to lay it on one of hers. "Teela," he whispered, rubbing her hand softly. "I don't think we're ready for this."

He watched as she immediately averted her eyes from his and began to sit up in response to his words. He could tell she was embarrassed, because the light was suddenly gone from her eyes and her smile looked a little too happy. "I'm sorry, Adam," she mumbled as her body tensed. She was about to move away from him.

"Teela, please stop," he pleaded gently as he watched her turn away slightly and pull up one side of her leotard. When she reached for the other side of her outfit, Adam did, as well. He grabbed her hand and said, "Teela, look at me."

She grimaced. "Adam," she whined. She obviously didn't want to do it.

"Teela," he repeated insistently. He tugged on her shoulder and she lay on her back again. After a few moments of waiting, she finally looked at him. He smiled slightly and whispered, "I didn't say I wanted you to leave. I just want to slow things down, because I'm getting to the point where I want to…" He trailed off and he felt his cheeks grow hot. Yes, he stopped her because he didn't want her to hate him when she discovered he was He-Man, but what he was saying now was the truth, too.

He looked down her body and ran his fingernails over her clothed stomach. "I want you so much," he revealed, "and if I was able to stroke bare skin in certain areas, it would drive me a little crazy. I wouldn't want to stop and we might end up…" He met her gaze and whispered, "…making love, and I know this isn't the appropriate time for that."

She reached a hand up and cupped his cheek. "You're right," she admitted with a blush. "I probably wouldn't have been able to stop myself, either."

He closed his eyes and swallowed roughly. He almost mourned the lost opportunity, but he knew it was the right thing to do on many different levels: first, he didn't want to ruin her reputation; second, he had been taught to wait for marriage; and third, he didn't want to betray her trust. But just because he wanted to do the right thing didn't make it easy. When he reopened his eyes, he saw that Teela was smirking at him.

"Regret, huh?" she asked, knowingly.

"You have no idea," he agreed with a chuckle. He ran his eyes up and down her body again and eventually settled them on the one side of her leotard that was higher than the other. He reached a hand out and started pushing it back down.

"Adam!" she exclaimed. She reached out her hand and grabbed his.

He smiled brightly and laughed. He watched as a blush spread along her body. He leaned down and met her lips for a soft, brief kiss. When he pulled away slightly, he whispered, "I only wanted to make that side level with the other again. I think I can handle things that far."

Without pause, she let go of his hand and allowed him to continue to push her clothing to its prior location. When he finished and looked back up at her, she stated matter-of-factly, "You know, Adam, we're playing with fire right now."

"I know," he agreed, "but I like it hot. Don't you?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

She laughed and replied, "Oh, yeah!" She reached both arms out, placed them around his neck, and pulled him to her. Their lips met once again and this time, he allowed Teela to do as she wished. She didn't waste any time. She explored his mouth by brushing her tongue across his teeth and dueling with his tongue repeatedly. She then pulled on his bottom lip with her teeth just when he thought she was about to give them some time to breathe.

He gasped instantly in response, and he felt her smile. Now that she no longer had a hold of his lips, he settled beside her on his back and breathed deeply. Already, he was getting too excited. Maybe it was because she was in his room and on his bed, but he needed a little time to calm down. He rested his head next to hers, reached down, and grabbed one of her hands. He squeezed it and brought it to his lips. He kissed it softly but didn't utter any words.

Evidently, she also needed the same time, because she didn't say anything either. Eventually, though, Adam turned on his side, so he could look at her. She did the same. At that moment, he wanted so desperately to tell her that he was He-Man, not because he wanted to further progress their sexual encounters; instead, it was because he felt so close to her at that moment and he wanted her to know who he truly was.

Suddenly, Teela reached out and brushed her fingers across his cheeks. "Just tell me," she whispered.

Startled, he jumped and widened his eyes, because it almost seemed like she had heard his thoughts. Her words came just as he had finished his thought, just like the Sorceress had done many times in the past when she had been listening. But he knew that despite her being the Sorceress' daughter, she couldn't hear anyone's thoughts…at least, not yet. And, even if she could, he felt no other presence in his mind. She simply knew him and his expressions so well. The thought made him smile.

When he remained quiet, she scooted closer, rested her hand on his chest, and whispered with a gleam in her eye, "Well, if you won't tell me what you're thinking about, then I'm going to have to pick the topic."

He reached a hand out and rested it on the slope of waist. "Does there have to be a topic at all?" he questioned warily as he then ran his fingers over her hip. He knew that look on her face: it was one of determination. She wanted him to tell her what he had been thinking about. Now the only question was what she had planned to get it out of him.

She quickly reached down and took his hand in hers. "Yes," she replied as she repeated his earlier actions and kissed his hand. "I think it's time we talked, don't you? I mean, yes, we've said we want to be together, but…we always get distracted by other things and we never really discuss anything."

Adam nodded and relented, "All right, so what do you want to talk about?"

"Us, of course," she said softly. Like she had earlier, she fiddled with his hand again, but this time she avoided rubbing her nails across his palm. Instead, she moved his fingers around and intertwined them with hers in various different ways.

"What about us?" he asked. He could tell she was getting nervous and he wasn't sure why.

Continuing to look down at their hands, she mumbled, "Well, the truth is I wonder what has gotten into us." She finally looked up and said, "We can't seem to keep our hands off each other and our relationship has never been that way."

He worried a little. "Do you want our relationship to go back to the way things were?" He gulped as she met his eyes steadily.

"No," she answered quickly. "I just…I've never been this way with a guy before." She sat up and turned towards him. "I've worked hard to become Captain of the Royal Guard, as you know."

He nodded.

"I didn't have time for romance, and the truth is I still don't…but I find myself making the time for you and I can't stand it when we're apart. And, when we're together, I can't stand it if we're not touching, talking, or something." She looked down at herself and muttered, "I find myself doing things with you that I haven't with anyone else and it scares me a little. I don't even know what made me encourage you that day in my room. What even made you say that to me?"

He blushed as he remembered what he had mumbled and replied, "I don't know, Teela. I assure you it was an accident. I've…daydreamed about you since I was a kid, and well, my mouth spoke during one of those moments when it normally would have stayed quiet." He thought about her words and asked suddenly, "Do you regret that day now?"

"No," she whispered, "and I've dreamed about you, too. It didn't matter what time of the day it was, but I never thought…You seemed so untouchable to me."

"What?" He was shocked.

She nodded, still unable to look at him. "You're the Prince of Eternia and I'm just a commoner. I'm a nobody, not even a true courtier. And, who knows what my true heritage is on my mother's side. I just never believed you held any feelings for me, and now to go from that to not being able to keep our hands off of one another in such a short period of time…it seems too good to be true."

He pulled her to him and sat her across his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder and with his arms around her, he said, "Well, believe it because it's true. I'm here, you're here, and you're not a nobody. As a matter of fact, I always thought you would never give me a chance, because I was so beneath you."

She gasped. "What do you mean? How could you ever be beneath me? You're the prince!"

He turned his head to the side and kissed her forehead. "I thought my actions made me beneath you. You know, I'm late all the time and clumsy. I run from battles. That's not exactly the kind of guy one would picture for the Captain of the Royal Guard. There were times when I thought I disgusted you."

"You don't disgust me," she replied. "You confuse me, because I know you're not as helpless as you make yourself out to be. When we were kids, you roughhoused with the best of them when you had to, so I know you do have at least a little fighting skill. I just wish you'd have confidence in yourself and show it sometimes. As for you being late and clumsy…well, we can work on that together."

He laughed loudly and tightened his hold on her. He felt such relief at hearing those words. One of the main things that bothered him was that he wouldn't be "man enough" for her, because he still had to maintain his secret, and Prince Adam couldn't change over night…or much, really. He tugged on her hair a little and when she lifted her face up, he placed his lips soundly on hers. When he pulled away, he said, "I don't want to lose you." He said those words to her before, but he hoped she knew that he meant them.

"You won't," she whispered, "as long as we're honest with one another."

And, a long silence developed.

Adam knew why he was silent: because he couldn't be honest with her, at least not yet. He closed his eyes as he kissed her forehead again. He felt guilty, guiltier than he had ever felt before because of his secret. He hoped the Sorceress would start seeing the future again soon, or he might just act without her approval and let the chips fall where they may.

Eventually, though, without warning, Teela interrupted the silence and his thoughts. "I think I know what you were thinking about earlier, and you're thinking about it now, too," she said.

He doubted it seriously, but he replied, "Well, then tell me, all-knowing one."

She got off his lap and sat crossed-legged in front of him. Her actions told him that whatever she came up with was serious, so he had better not laugh at it, no matter how wrong she was. He straightened his back subconsciously as she straightened hers, and then, as soft as air, he heard her words. "You wanted to tell me that you love me, but you think it's too soon. Well, here's my response to that: I love you, too. We've known each other for far too long to deny what we feel when it's so plain to the other. What's the point?"

Adam gaped at her. He couldn't believe it. He always believed he'd be the one to say it first and he thought it would be much later down the road when she hinted that she was ready to hear them. He should have known better. Teela had always been impulsive and had the habit of saying whatever popped into her mind without any filters. "Teela," he gasped in awe.

"I love you," she said again, a little louder this time.

He really did hear it! He couldn't control himself! He grinned and exclaimed enthusiastically, "YES!" He had never been so happy in his life. He rose onto his knees gathered her into his arms and all but shouted, "I love you!" He then kissed her passionately. There was no dueling to see who would lead the kiss this time—Adam dominated it from the start. He learned and touched every surface of her mouth relentlessly until she could stand no more. When Teela pulled away to breathe, he moved his attention to her neck for a moment before stopping for air himself.

"Wow," she teased as she ran her fingers through his hair and moved her head back a little, so she could see his face.

He looked up at her as he grinned again happily. He straightened his body and moved his face mere inches from hers. "Say it again," he whispered.

With a laugh, she obeyed. "I love you." He immediately tried to kiss her again, but she held a finger to his lips to stop him. "I'm not finished," she said with a stern glance.

He backed away and allowed her to speak with a little room.

She cocked her head to the side and he could see the sincerity in her eyes. He was surprised to see tears also gathering in them. "I love you, Prince Adam of Eternia."

He closed his eyes. He had waited so long to hear those words, and to hear them from Teela meant everything. He could die a happy man today and he wouldn't regret a second of it. When he reopened his eyes, he saw that she was waiting patiently for him to look at her again. "I don't know what the future holds for us, Adam, but I will say this: don't worry about my position in the Guard or what others might say: I love you and I've decided I want to be with you, no matter what, even if it means…" She stared at him.

It was his turn to tell her what she wanted to say. Tears now gathered in his eyes as he finished, "Even if it means becoming the Princess of Eternia?" He said it as a question, because he hadn't been entirely sure that's what she wanted to say, but her sudden smile told him he was right.

"Yes," she said as she leaned forward and kissed him again.

They pressed their lips together and Adam pushed her down to lay her head on his pillows again. He was no longer thinking consciously—he was merely reacting. When they parted, he worked his lips down her neck and kissed and licked that spot at the center of her throat which he knew drove her mad.

Only when he heard her moan did he move on. He expanded his exploration to her torso and raked his lips across every bit of new skin that was revealed that day until he finally got to the upper portions of her breasts that was exposed to his eyes. He stopped suddenly and looked up at her.

She bit her bottom lip lightly and nodded.

Adam smiled and kissed the slight hollow between her breasts. He then moved his lips to the right breast and nuzzled the skin softly with his mouth as he brought his hand up to play with the other one. He made sure to keep his touch light, because he wanted her to beg for more. He didn't have to wait long.

"Adam, please!" she cried. "You're torturing me!"

And, then another cry pierced his ears, but it wasn't one he wanted to hear.

"What in the name of Eternia?" a voice boomed and Teela immediately gasped and grabbed a sheet to cover up quickly.

Adam closed his eyes. His first response was to think, " _Why does everyone keep interrupting me all the time_?" The next was the recognition of who that voice belonged to. He knew: he didn't have to look to know who it was, but unfortunately, he knew he had to look anyway. He sat up, opened his eyes, and gasped when he turned around. It was worse than he thought: not only had his father walked in on them, his mother and Man-at-Arms had, too.

=)=)=)


	9. King's Interference

Teela's Visitor Chapter 9

Adam had to admit it: everyday since Teela and he had admitted their feelings to one another, he seemingly found himself in situations where he thought he couldn't ever be more embarrassed than he was at that particular moment…and everyday proved that the last time he had that thought, he had been wrong. He was so discomfited by his parents' presence now that he could literally feel his ears burning up. He had no doubt if they could see under his hair, they'd shine a bright red, but then again—thanks to his light complexion—he was sure they could see that reaction all over his body. He met his father's gaze temporarily to gauge how bad this situation was going to be, but the king quickly turned away.

"See why I wanted to come right away!" his father announced, looking at the queen. It sounded like the king was trying to justify his actions. He waved his hand towards the couple on the bed. "Only the Ancients know how far they would have gone if we hadn't shown up, and you know as well as I do that he hasn't gone to see his healer, yet!"

Adam gasped. He knew immediately what his father was talking about! "Oh, Ancients, no!" he cried. He covered his eyes for a moment as horror overwhelmed him. His mother had obviously told his father about their conversation. " _Of course, she would. Why did I think otherwise_?" he thought. Still the realization that he should have known didn't help. His father knew this entire time that Teela and he might be having a sexual relationship…and he had checked up on him! At some point recently, the king had gone to see the healer and asked him specifically if his son had gotten any protection from him.

Shaking his head, he looked over at Teela to see that she was also completely mortified. She was holding his sheet over her body and reaching desperately for her armor which was on the floor. "Can you guys get out for a moment so we can make ourselves decent?" he asked loudly for Teela's benefit.

He watched as the king looked back at him and then glanced over at Teela quickly who was already adjusting her armor. "You're decent for the most part now," he replied.

Adam jumped off the bed, grabbed his t-shirt off the floor, and put it on. At that moment, his embarrassment was so deep that he forgot himself and asked harshly, "Don't you guys know how to knock!"

Randor cocked an eyebrow and replied calmly but seriously, "Not in my own palace, I don't. Besides, I didn't have the time to sit around and wait for you to decide that you'd answer the door, son. For all I knew, you might have pretended you weren't here and carried on with your activities. A guard saw Teela slip inside this room shortly after you did and reported it to me and your mother. I think the rest is self-explanatory. We had to stop you before you…made a mistake."

Adam glanced over at Teela for a brief moment to see her reaction. She lowered her head and her blush darkened significantly. He frowned at his father and replied, "Teela and I weren't going to have…sex." He could barely get the word out and he avoided looking at anyone in the eye. He'd never get through this otherwise. He cleared his throat and continued, "We've already discussed that with one another. We were just—" He moved his hands around in no particular pattern. He was searching for an appropriate description.

"Discovering one another?" the queen supplied.

Now, he felt his cheeks get hot. He looked to the floor and answered, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Well, that is something that you and I need to discuss, son," the king stated resolutely as he walked over to him and then turned his attention to the captain. "Teela, you should go with the queen and Man-at-Arms. They want to have a conversation with you, too."

Adam looked at Teela quickly. He was about to apologize to her but stopped when she suddenly winked at him and mouthed, "I love you." He grinned instantly, and with a quick glance to his father, he decided he'd let everyone know just how serious their feelings were for one another. "I love you, too," he replied aloud as he watched her departure. They kept their eyes on each other the entire time until Duncan put a hand on her shoulder, guided her out of the room, and shut the door.

The king watched his son carefully while this took place and then commented as soon as they were alone, "So, you and Teela are already to the 'I love you' stage in your relationship." He sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside him.

Adam stared at his bed for a moment before sighing and resigning himself to the spot his father had indicated. He wasn't sure if the king had made the comment because he didn't like the development or if he was just making that observation. Regardless, he'd set the record straight. "Well, it isn't like we don't know each other, Father. We've had plenty of time to figure out how we feel about one another."

Randor nodded. "Yes, you certainly have known each other for a long time." He looked at his son and asked, "How long have you felt this way about her?"

Adam laughed at the question. "Oh, I don't know, since I was six?" he guessed. He looked away and stared at the wall for a moment. He knew his father was building up to whatever conversation he really wanted to have, and he had no doubt what it would deal with.

"So, if you've been in love with Teela this entire time that means…other girls didn't catch your eye as you were growing up."

And, there it was. He already knew what his father was going to ask. He stared at his shoes and quickly got it over with so it wouldn't be more excruciating than this already was. "No, they didn't. I'm still…untouched, but I think you already know that obviously." His father's presence was enough to prove that, and he gestured around the room to make his thoughts obvious to the king.

His father didn't look repentant at all, and he didn't deny it, either. "Yes, well, I think given what I saw earlier that might be changing in the near future." Adam cringed and the king saw it. "Look, son, I know you don't want to have this conversation with me. I don't blame you, but we have to do this since you didn't take care of the problem yourself."

"What problem?" he asked.

Randor breathed deeply, reached into a pocket on the inside of his robes to grab something, and then handed him a box of condoms.

Adam's mouth dropped open. He sprung off the bed, tossed the box onto the bed, and exclaimed, "Father! What… Why…" He didn't even know what he wanted to ask or say. Yep, today topped them all: this day kept getting more embarrassing and awkward by the minute! He turned abruptly, walked onto his balcony, and shook his head a few times as he mumbled to himself, "This can't be the way it is in other families."

"No, it isn't."

Adam jumped, not realizing that the king had come to stand behind him, and he didn't turn around. He simply listened to his father talk.

"Adam, I will readily admit that we're different and that we do things differently than an ordinary family. But actually, we do have some things in common, as well. For example, parents, who are either royal or the average commoner, would still ideally like for their children to get married before they participate in marital activities, but we all know that doesn't always happen. It doesn't happen a lot, actually…but I'm getting off track. Normally with a common man's family, a parent wouldn't get involved in his children's lives the way that I am with you right now, especially at your age, but you're a king's son, the High King's son. That fact alone takes this situation to a whole new level that isn't common at all." He stepped beside him to the railing and looked out over Eternos. He sighed and continued, "You're not a common person. You can't risk having any illegitimate offspring, son. It would tarnish Teela's reputation and the people might not accept her as their queen. They expect their queens to be virtuous and wholesome before marriage. It's a shame that they hold us to a higher standard than they hold themselves, I know, but that's the way it is when it comes to love. It's one of the drawbacks of being royalty. Regardless of any of that, though, I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you to have a child before you're ready and if you really love Teela, I want you to have the opportunity to marry her without anyone objecting. I'm sorry that this has embarrassed you. The Ancients know I would have been if my father had been around when I met your mother. He would have done the exact same thing I'm doing to you now, trust me."

Finally, he looked at his father. Some of the embarrassment he felt was gone. "Really?" he asked, interested about his father's relationship with his grandfather when he was his age.

"Yes, really."

Adam turned and walked back into his room. His father followed him as he walked to the bed, picked up the box of condoms, and put them in the drawer in his nightstand. He looked back at him and said, "I really didn't need them at this point, Father. Teela and I really have discussed…waiting, you know, until later. I realize what it must have looked like when you walked in earlier, but I wasn't going to go any further than what you saw, honestly."

"You say that now, son," Randor replied, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. "Your mother and I said the same thing…but that sure didn't stop us when it was time to. And, trust me, the next couple of weeks after that were excruciating, waiting to see if she was pregnant. I mean, I wanted to marry her and if she had been pregnant at that time, I would have married her that very day to stop anyone's objections, but…"

Adam gaped at him and said, "Father, I don't need to know that much about you and Mother! I really don't!"

The king laughed. "I just want you to know that I understand the situation that you're in. I know you expected me to blow my top, but I've been through this. I know the temptations and expectations…it's…"

"Father," stated Adam sharply.

Again, the king laughed. "Okay, I know…I got my point across. I'll leave now. Just use your head, son." He started to walk out of the room, but he suddenly stopped and stuck his head back in. "Oh, and by the way, son, Teela and you need to be more discreet next time. You'll have the whole palace talking about you if you don't. Luckily, only a guard saw Teela this time, so I ordered the individual to tell no one. Just remember you're being watched constantly. This palace has eyes everywhere. Remind Teela of that, too." Without waiting for a reply, the king left and shut the door.

He sighed in relief.

=)=)=)

A few hours later, Adam found himself nervous as he got ready for dinner. He hadn't seen Teela for a few hours, so he didn't know how long her conversation with his mother and her father had lasted. The only thing he did know was that the conversation had probably been as uncomfortable as his.

He glanced to his nightstand where he had hidden his father's…Could he call it a gift? He groaned at the thought. He still couldn't believe it! His father had definitely been right earlier: he had expected the King of Eternia to be brutal when he found Teela and him as he had, especially given his outburst when he had walked into the room. To give him…what he gave him, it was almost like he was giving him permission…

And, that creeped him out. A lot. " _That's all I need_ ," he thought sarcastically; " _It was bad enough when I realized that the Sorceress knew what Teela and I were doing, but Mother and Father knowing and expecting it to go even further…_ " He grimaced. That was almost a form of birth control in and of itself.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at the door. " _Well, at least they knocked this time_ ," he thought as he went to the door. When he opened it, he immediately grinned. "It's about time you showed your face again!" he exclaimed as he saw Teela, grabbed her hand, and stuck his head out in the hall. He looked around carefully before pulling her inside. He shut the door and turned to face her.

It was then that he noticed her different apparel. "Teela?" he gasped questioningly.

She was no longer wearing her uniform. Instead, she was in a long, lavender dress that tucked in at her waist and then flowed downward to the floor. It had no sleeves and a deep v-cut neckline. He raked his eyes appreciatively across her body repeatedly until he recognized the biggest shock of all: her hair was still down! Well, most of it was. She had the sides pulled back, but the rest of it tumbled about her neck and shoulders.

He felt desire rise within him at the sight—he always loved it when she wore her hair down—but he pushed his reaction back down. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he went to her and cupped her cheek to get her to meet his gaze. "What's going on? What's the occasion?" he gestured to her dress.

"Your mother," she said simply. When he wrinkled his brow in confusion, she explained, "After our talk earlier, your mother informed me that we were going to see the tailor. Apparently, she knew the dress that I wore to dinner the other night was the only one I had that still fit properly. She said I needed more if I wanted to court the crown prince properly. So, here I am." She gestured down her body and then added, "I suppose I should get used to wearing this kind of frilliness. Otherwise, our public outings will be awkward, because I won't be used to it."

Adam raised his brows in surprise and then laughed. He remembered when they were kids and Teela had decided she wanted to be a member of the Royal Guard. Almost immediately, she had stopped wearing dresses for the most part, and his mother had hated the sudden change in her wardrobe…and the fact that she had lost a shopping partner. She used to love getting Teela what she called the "cutest little dresses." He eyed her dress again. " _This dress definitely isn't cute_ ," he thought as he admired how it clung to her curves in certain places. "Cute" wasn't the right word at all. Shaking his head to clear it and realizing that his mind kept going to places it really shouldn't, he said, "I bet she couldn't wait to get you in that dress."

"She couldn't," she replied with a grin.

Then, he paused. What Teela had said earlier finally hit him. "Hey, wait a minute. What public outings?"

She rolled her eyes. "Didn't the king tell you? Well, I suppose those things don't cross men's minds when they're discussing the 's-word.'"

"The s-word?" he repeated, then shook his head. "Never mind, I get it. But no, Father didn't tell me."

She shrugged and explained, "Your parents are expecting us to court the way tradition dictates: buggies, horses, dances, public displays of no affection…"

Adam chuckled amusedly. He wasn't laughing at the fact that they had to do things the old-fashioned way; rather, he was laughing at Teela's description of it. "Public displays of no affection" was quite accurate in a lot of ways. For example, one of their very first outings, dictated by the codes of conduct, would be to ride on an open buggy with a chaperone, whose job it was to take them throughout Eternos for the people to see them (but officially the reason was so they could sightsee together) AND to not let them get inappropriate in any way. That meant no touching of any kind, among other things. Teela would be on one side of the cart facing outward and he would be on the other doing the same. Their backs would be turned to one another. Its purpose was so the couple could talk and get to know one another without…other things getting in the way. Of course, Teela and he already knew each other quite well, so this would be just for appearance's sake.

When he stopped laughing, he replied, "Oh, I'm so sorry to have to put you through this, Teela. I know the royal way of courting is antiquated, but…"

"It's something I have to do if I want to court the crown prince," she repeated Queen Marlena's words.

"And, hopefully, you do," Adam said as he took her into his arms, held his body a scant inch from hers, and stared lovingly into her eyes. As soon as she replied, "You know I do. I wouldn't have gone through all of this otherwise," he leaned down and kissed her deeply.

When they parted, he glanced at his chronometer and announced, "It's time for dinner." He suddenly bowed, then offered her his arm, and asked chivalrously, "Would my lady do me the honor of accompanying me to the dining room so we may dine together?"

She laughed. She obviously knew the formalities were intended to be a joke, considering their prior conversation. To play along, she curtseyed and bowed her head. "The honor would be mine, Your Highness."

As she took his arm, he grinned at her and led her out of his room but not before sticking his head out to make sure no one would see Teela exiting from his room. That was one message he had received loud and clear from his father: be discreet.

=)=)=)

Continuing to play the roles of courting aristocrats, Adam swept Teela into the dining room, held her chair out for her to sit down, and then bowed while kissing her hand. He then went to his seat and laughed at everyone's shocked expressions. They had never seen him do anything like that with Teela before. He exclaimed, "I thought you might enjoy that!" He held his hands up like he was confused as to why they didn't.

When they, in turn, looked confused at his comment, he explained, "Well, I hear that Teela and I are already expected to adhere to the rules of courtly love, so there it is!"

Marlena laughed as Randor sighed. "It's not something to make fun of, Adam," the king scolded. "The kingdom, and possibly the entire planet, will be watching the two of you soon. Any misstep or mistake will be talked about for years to come. It's not an appropriate thing to make jokes about."

Leave it to his father to kill the playful mood he was. "Great, I can't wait to get started," he mumbled sarcastically, but his father heard him.

"Wonderful," he stated, happily, "I was about to tell you that you two needed to set a date for your first public outing. I need to know when that will be, so I can begin to prepare what I'm going to tell the court about your relationship. It must be handled delicately, as you know there are many who had their eye on you, Adam."

He gaped at his father. Didn't he know sarcasm when he heard it? Evidently not, or the king chose to simply ignore that he was being sarcastic and this was a roundabout way of ordering him to get the process started. He swallowed roughly and looked over at Teela who was staring at him. She didn't look too happy about the news.

"Do we need to decide right now, Your Majesty?" she asked.

"Not necessarily. You can take a few days if you need to," the king answered, "And, of course, we need to find time to sit down together, as well. You and I need to discuss your active duties in the Guard, but I'm sure you are already aware of that."

When Teela slumped in her seat, Adam spoke quickly, "Uh, Teela and I will discuss everything later this afternoon. Let's just drop the subject for now." He knew her having to give up her positions in the Royal Guard would be a touchy subject for Teela, and he wanted to prolong her having to deal with it for as long as possible.

Randor gave Adam a confused look but his expression changed when he looked at Teela. "Oh," he said awkwardly, "yes, well, let's enjoy the rest of the meal with a little magic."

Orko flew from his seat beside Adam to the center of the table and replied, "Your wish is my command, Your Majesty!" Man-at-Arms and Cringer groaned audibly.

=)=)=)

After dinner, Adam escorted Teela through the corridors on their way back to the Royal Wing. They had yet to discuss where they were actually going. Truthfully, Adam didn't know if Teela wanted to spend time with him this evening after his father had laid a load of responsibilities on them. When they finally reached Teela's door, he stopped and asked, "Are you turning in for the night?"

She glanced at him and asked, "Are you coming in with me? I thought we were going to talk."

He sighed in relief. "Well, I didn't want to force any conversations on you if you really don't want to discuss them right now."

She immediately turned around and reached out to open her door, but Adam quickly grabbed the door handle before she did. "Allow me," he said and pushed the door open for her. He stood aside and as Teela stepped over the threshold, she took one look in the room and suddenly stopped. "I changed my mind!" she cried. She grabbed the door from his hand and slammed it shut. "Let's go to your room!" With no pomp and circumstance at all, she opened his door and practically ran inside.

He widened his eyes in shock as he watched her actions. He then looked around to make sure no one had seen her. Confirming that they were alone, he followed her inside, and once he reached his bed where she was sitting, Teela looked up at him with a faint rosy hue on her cheeks. "What was that all about?" he asked.

She looked down and shrugged. "My room wasn't…ready for company," she answered.

He sat beside her and asked, "What do you mean?" He asked because maids came into their rooms everyday to straighten them up, if needed.

She shook her head and looked fairly amused, but he could tell somehow that the expression was directed to herself. She looked up and explained, "My room has dresses and accessories strewn all over the place. I wanted to look nice…for you at dinner, so I tried a lot of things on in a short period of time."

He grinned as he realized she had worn the dress for him. He had assumed earlier that she had merely been wearing the last thing she had tried on at the behest of his mother. The queen had a habit of not letting people change back into their original outfits once she got them out of them and into something new. Now that he realized that wasn't the case, it made him love the outfit even more. She had picked this for him. He ran his eyes down her body again, and Teela watched him do it.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"I love it," he whispered, grabbing her hand as he sat beside her, "but I love anything you're in, really. Teela, you don't have to worry about looking like a courtier for me when we're alone. I find your uniform incredibly sexy, as well as anything else you have chosen to wear in the past, and I seriously doubt that's going to change."

Teela stared at him. She seemed very appreciative of his words and then they started leaning their faces towards one another very slowly. Eventually though, before their lips were anywhere near each other's, she pulled away and groaned. She stood up, walked a few feet away before she turned around, and said, "We better hurry and talk about those things the king brought up, because I am mighty close to pouncing all over you and picking up where we left off earlier."

At those words, he almost didn't care about those topics anymore. He could imagine Teela doing exactly what she said and he found his body reacting to the thought. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Where do you want to start?"

She sat in a nearby chair and replied, "Well, I guess I'll start where I'm more interested: what did you and your father talk about when I left the room earlier today?"

He immediately closed his eyes and said, "Maybe that's not the best topic to discuss right now." He was still trying to ease away his reaction to her earlier words.

"Why not?"

When he reopened his eyes, he saw that she looked thoroughly interested in whatever had happened. He ran a hand through his hair and knowing already that she wouldn't be swayed to another topic replied, "He was discussing us and the…importance of being careful, I guess you could say."

She stood up and walked back over to him. "Well, that doesn't sound too bad, so that doesn't explain your reluctance to talk about it. What aren't you telling me?"

He shook his head as he closed his eyes again and said, "Look in my drawer in the nightstand."

"What?"

"Just do it and you'll have your answer."

Slowly, Teela walked over to the nightstand and sat down on the bed beside it. He stood and watched as she pulled the drawer open. She reached in and picked up the box. She studied it until she realized abruptly what it was. He turned rapidly to face him and he shrugged.

"He gave me that," he explained. "That's how he wants us to be careful." He then lifted his hands and assured her, "Don't worry, I told him we didn't need them right now, because we decided to wait, but he wanted me to keep them anyway. I guess they're a 'just in case convenience.'"

She nodded and looked back down at the box in her hand. She tapped her nails on it slowly and asked curiously, "Have you ever put one on before?"

He swallowed and felt a heat rise over his body, and he wasn't entirely sure if it was from desire or embarrassment. "I had no reason to," he answered, slowly; "You know that."

She nodded again before sitting the box on top of the nightstand and squirmed a little. To Adam, it looked like she was rubbing her thighs together. He then watched as she licked her bottom lip a little and he fought the desire to run over there to do it for her. " _Down, boy_!" he thought as he forced himself to sit in the chair she had previously occupied.

They remained silent for several more moments before Teela cleared her throat, looked down to study his bedspread, and asked, "So, uh, our first outing…when do you want to do it?"

Glad to be brought to business since it might help his wandering mind, he answered, "It doesn't matter to me, really, but I suppose it should be after Father and you have your discussion. After all, there are going to be a lot of questions from people since you are a member of the Royal Guard, and we need to know how to answer them."

She nodded and, without looking at him, agreed, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

After coming to that agreement, they quieted down again and for several long moments, they just sat there because the tension in the room was overwhelming until finally Teela moved. He heard her mumble, "I can't stand this any longer." She walked over to the chair he was sitting in and tried to straddle his hips, but she couldn't because the bottom half of her dress was too constricting. Groaning in frustration, she backed up and reached behind her with both hands.

He heard what sounded like a zipper, and before he could say anything to stop her, the dress fell to the floor. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the vision before him. Teela stood there wearing nothing but a matching lavender bra and panties set.

Swallowing roughly, he watched as she walked towards him again. This time nothing stopped her from straddling his legs. She sat on him and looked deeply into his eyes. "I love you and I want you," she said with a husky voice.

And, he was immediately undone. In an instant, Adam wrapped his arms around her body and crushed her to him as his lips sought out hers desperately...and soon the kisses were also joined by caresses. He ran his hands down her bare waist, over her panties and onto her hips. He stroked them leisurely until he brought his hands to her front. This time, he ran his hands up her belly until he reached her chest. Stroking her over the flimsy material covering her breasts, Teela let out a moan as he moved his kisses to her neck and sucked gently behind her ear.

Wanting to explore Adam, too, Teela repeated the steps she had done earlier in the day: she unbuckled his belt, pushed his tunic from his shoulders, and pulled his t-shirt over his head. She stared at him approvingly for a moment as he continued to play with her body. She then smiled and leaned forward to kiss and suck at his throat as he had done to her earlier.

Responding to her actions, he moaned deeply. She felt him run both of his hands down her legs. Then, he suddenly grabbed her behind her knees and stood. She gasped and wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold on. With a simple "I love you" muttered, he walked to the bed and laid her down with his body following hers.


	10. Taking a Big Step

Teela's Visitor Chapter 10

All that registered was the love he felt at that moment and the pleasure of the physical contact between them. His hips were cradled by her thighs as she bent her knees in the air. He could tell she was doing this to hold him in that spot, so he wouldn't be able to slip his body off of hers and lay to the side as he had done before.

He met Teela's lips with his briefly before he moved down her neck and licked a trail to the spot under her ear. He also reached his right arm down and grabbed at her hip desperately to caress it as well as to stop her movement. Her lower body had been rising to meet his constantly, going in a rhythm that was purely instinctive and primal. It called to him to speed things up, to go further, and he knew it was something he had to fight…but his own body betrayed him. As soon as he ceased her movements, he found himself grinding against her and she gasped loudly.

Forcing himself to pull their lower bodies apart, he slipped farther down her body and made a straight line to her chest with kisses. Picking up where he left off earlier before they had been interrupted, he nuzzled her left breast softly with his mouth as his hand came up to caress the other. The only difference from the time before was that she was wearing a bra that came up higher than her pushed down uniform had at that time. Regardless, he didn't let that stop him. Instead, he nipped at her through the thin fabric and the moans Teela made as a result drove him wild.

"Adam, please," she whispered, reaching her left hand up and running it through his hair softly.

"Teela," he moaned in reply as he slipped his head even farther down as his other hand rose to her breast to pick up where his mouth had left off. He reached her belly button with his lips and took the time to kiss her there and to jab his tongue into the small hole in a rhythm that was surprisingly becoming familiar with each encounter between them. Soon, Adam found her hips matching that rhythm again as her thighs now cradled a portion of his rib cage. He moaned again and brought both hands down to her hips to caress them gently.

"Adam," she gasped as he licked his tongue in and around her belly button a few more times. It was at that moment that he heard her fumbling around with something above him, but he was too centered on what he was doing to find out exactly what she was up to. Then, the noise ceased and she reached down under his arms to pull him back up. He willingly allowed her to do so and helped her progress but made sure to kiss every bit of skin he could as he moved up. When he finally got to her face, he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"I love you," he whispered earnestly.

She smiled, reached her right hand up to stroke his cheek, and replied, "And, I love you."

They kissed one more time as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for a moment before she abruptly pulled her lips from his. When he met her gaze again, she whispered, "I'm ready, Adam."

"You're ready?" he questioned, feeling panic and desire rise within him simultaneously.

"Yes," she answered, bringing her knees back up to cradle his body. "I want you like I've never wanted anyone or anything in my life." She brought her right hand to his eyes and he noticed that she had a small packaged condom in it. He quickly glanced to his table and saw that the box had been ripped into.

"Teela?" he questioned, feeling more than a little shocked.

"I want you," she repeated. "Please, Adam."

Then, she moved into action. She forced the condom into one of his hands and then reached down with both of hers to push down on his fur-pants.

"Teela!" he exclaimed in surprise as he tried to pull back from her. Her arms immediately came up to his shoulders and pulled him back down to her.

"It's okay," she whispered. "We'll only do this if you want to."

He closed his eyes as Teela held him to her closely and began to suck on the side of his neck relentlessly. He groaned loudly and was suddenly shocked to feel that his fur-pants were moving down his legs. He lifted his body to look and saw that she had a hold of them with her toes and were pulling them from his body.

He met her gaze and she grinned. "I'm a woman of many talents," she boasted.

"So, I see," he replied as he rested his body on hers again. Now the only thing that separated them was her underwear and his tights. He dropped his head to her right shoulder and held it there for several long moments as he breathed deeply.

"Adam?" she questioned. When he didn't reply, she ran her hands up and down his back and then moved the motion to his sides.

He moaned and then pulled back to look at her again. "Ancients, Teela, I want you so much. You almost make it impossible for me to stop myself."

"Almost?" she questioned.

He leaned down and kissed her chastely. When he stared into her eyes again, he whispered, "Teela, I…I want you more than you know, and nothing would make me happier than to share this with you now and for the rest of my life…but I can't do this with a clear conscience. There's something I need to tell you first."

She moved one hand to the back of his neck and the other to his cheek to watch him intently. "Tell me," she said softly.

He closed his eyes and when he reopened them, he explained remorsefully, "That's where the problem lies: I can't tell you. It's a secret I've had to keep from many people for quite a while. I promised never to reveal it…and it's killing me at this moment, I assure you." He ran his fingers over her mouth and felt his arousal grow. He then became even more excited when he heard Teela gasp. He knew now that he was out of his fur-pants she could…feel more than she had before. He continued, "I want you badly, but I don't want you to hate me when you find out my secret."

"Why would I hate you?" she questioned as she rubbed her thumb across his cheek bone.

He leaned down and kissed her passionately. Their tongues met and dueled until neither could breathe. When he pulled back and calmed himself, he answered, "You might hate me because you'll feel betrayed that I didn't confide in you. I want to assure you now that I want to, but my promise stops me. I am a man of my word, after all."

She nodded and then looked down to see where they were pressed together. She then looked up and asked, "If I promised I would remember this conversation and not get mad, would you change your mind?"

He laughed and hugged her tightly. "I would like nothing more than to take you up on that offer, but you still might feel betrayed." He pulled away slightly and ran the back of his fingers across her cheek as he stared into her eyes. "If we do this, you will have shared yourself completely with me. I already know who you are, but I would know so much more. It would be the most…personal encounter we will have ever had. But when you learn my secret, it might taint your memory of the event. You might feel as though I did not share all of myself with you. I couldn't bear that."

Teela closed her eyes and leaned her head back. He could tell she was upset and trying to hold back the tears, but the sight before him was just too much to ignore. He leaned down and began to suck and kiss her jaw line from one side to the other slowly.

She gasped and then lowered her head back down which stopped his efforts. She whispered softly, "This is torture."

He nodded sadly and began to pull away, but she quickly wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him back down to her. They both moaned at the friction this caused between their bodies. When their eyes met again, she quickly averted them.

He watched as her skin grew redder and he wondered what she was thinking. "Teela?" he questioned.

She kept her head facing in the opposite direction so she didn't have to look at him. She whispered softer than he had ever heard her before, "If we can't make love, can we at least continue to do this?"

Without thinking, he replied, "Of course."

She looked back at him and as they stared into one another's eyes, she began to slide her body up and down beneath him. His air suddenly caught in his throat as he truly noticed for the first time just how thin her underwear and his tights were. He could almost feel her heat as she rubbed against him, and he was sure she could feel him. As she continued her actions, he found himself matching her movements. Soon, moans and sounds of kissing filled the room, and he found himself powerless to stop. They weren't making love in the true sense of the phrase, but they were expressing themselves and feeling everything that came along with their actions. It had to be enough for now, and he hoped she wouldn't regret even this.

=)=)=)

Several hours later, Adam awoke to find Teela snuggled to his side as he held her tightly. She was sound asleep, and he thought she looked like a goddess. Her mesmerizing red hair was spread out on his pillow. It looked deliciously tousled, thanks to him running his fingers through it constantly. As he ran his eyes down her body, he saw that she was still only wearing her underwear, but now she had his blanket pulled up to her chest and his. It made her look so innocent and sweet—it was almost unbearable. Taking a deep breath, he fought the urge to lean over and kiss her. He didn't want to wake her up, because she would then go back to her room and he'd have to wait until morning to see her again.

At that thought, he looked over at the chronometer on his wall and saw that everyone would be heading off to bed soon. He glanced at his door and saw that it was unlocked. He gasped, and despite knowing that it would wake Teela, he jumped from the bed, crossed the room, and locked it. He knew at least Cringer would burst into the room soon if he didn't. At least this way, they'd have a warning that someone was outside the door wanting to see him.

He turned back around and saw Teela propping her back against his headboard, holding the blankets to her chest, and smirking at him. "Don't you think we should have locked that earlier?" she asked.

He smiled almost embarrassedly and replied, "Yes, but I was distracted." He made his way back to the bed and sat down hesitantly. "At least I realized it before someone actually walked in."

She nodded in agreement.

"Do you need anything? Can I get you something?" he then asked nervously.

She smiled and answered, "Only you. Lay down."

Obeying, he laid down as she threw his blankets back over him. She then placed her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest as she settled in to relax. He wrapped an arm around her and looked down at the top of her head. It was the only thing he could see. "Teela?" he whispered questioningly after several moments of simply lying there.

"Yeah?"

He took a deep breath and asked softly, "Are we okay? I know what we did earlier was a big step, even if it wasn't THE big step. What we're doing now is even a big step. I just want to make sure you're not regretting anything."

She finally lifted her head to stare at him. She scooted up so that they were eye level and replied, "Of course, we're okay. I love you." She looked downward and continued, "But I will admit I feel a little shy now that you've seen me…that way. I'm the Captain of the Guard. I'm not supposed to be so…wanton and…" She couldn't think of what else to add.

He brought a finger to her chin and pushed upward to get her to look at him again. "You're amazing and perfect, captain or not. And, there's no reason to feel shy. You saw me the same way…and you're so beautiful and so enchanting in those moments. It makes me want to keep you here all night, so we can see one another that way again."

She grinned and with a chuckle asked, "What about Cringer?"

"What about him? He'll have to find his own playmate!" he exclaimed with a devilish grin.

She laughed loudly, slapped him on the chest, and cried, "Oh, Adam!"

He quickly leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a light kiss. They then relaxed in one another's arms once more.

When they finally heard a scratch at the door a few minutes later, Adam got up and cracked the door open. When he saw that it was only Cringer, he opened it, stuck his head out to see who else was around, and said quickly, "Hurry up and get in."

The tiger did as asked, and as Adam shut the door and locked it, Cringer asked complainingly, "Why did you have the door locked? You never…" He paused as he noticed the figure in the bed as he walked across the room. He stopped, raised his eyes farther right, and saw Teela smiling at him shyly.

"Hi, Cringer," she said softly. "He locked the door, because I'm here."

"Oh!" he exclaimed. He then quickly looked back at Adam.

The prince grinned at him a little, bent beside him, and asked as he rubbed him, "You won't tell anyone what you've seen tonight, will you?"

"O-of course not, Adam," he replied. He went to his normal spot beside Adam's bed and settled down.

Teela took that opportunity to slip out of bed. He stared at her body as she did this, and he felt himself getting hot again. He watched as she reached down for her dress on the floor and slipped it and her shoes back on. She then walked to him, turned around, pulled her hair aside, and asked, "Can you zip me back up?"

Without saying a word, Adam zipped her dress but made sure to have his hands brush against her skin every step of the way. Once he was finished, she turned around and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Careful," she replied, huskily; "You might encourage me to stay and then we'd definitely get caught!"

Immediately, Adam grabbed her and brought his lips to hers. They kissed until both were left gasping and longing for more. As he closed his eyes to savor the moment and the feel of her body against his one last time that night, he heard her say, "Oh, I know we can't, but I do wish he would ask me to stay."

He rested his forehead on hers and replied softly, "You need not wish. I'll always want you to stay, even against my better judgment."

Before he could kiss her again, she pulled back and laughed. "Wow!" she exclaimed softly. "It's almost like you could read my mind." She kissed him lightly and said, "I better go!"

He watched her open the door, stick her head out to make sure the coast was clear, and then leave after shutting his door. He stood in the center of the room and stared at the spot where she had last stood.

"Adam?" questioned Cringer.

He could only shake his head in reply as he recalled the last words Teela and he had spoken to one another before she had left the room. He then shook himself out of his reverie. "No, it's not what you're thinking," he mumbled to himself. He laughed a little at his foolishness, and as he sat down on the bed, he felt the Sorceress' presence. He could tell she was checking up on him before she turned in for the night, but he could also tell she was reading his surface thoughts. He let her.

After a mental pause, he heard the Sorceress say, " _Oh, but it is_."


	11. Power Troubles

Teela's Visitor Chapter 11

Adam lay in bed and contemplated the news the Sorceress had given him earlier: he had gotten the insane idea that he had read Teela's mind before she had left the room, and it turned out he had been right. The thing that bothered him the most was the Sorceress' insistence that they get some sleep and that they would discuss the development in the morning. He supposed that was the smart thing to do. It had been a long day, but how in the world did she expect him to sleep after a bombshell like that?

He didn't even know how he had done it! And, why did the ability pop up so suddenly? He had been He-Man for a little over two years now, and it was hard to believe he hadn't stumbled on this ability before now. What had he done with Teela that he hadn't done before?

He immediately blushed at his own thought. " _It can't deal with that!_ " he told himself quickly. He pulled his blankets over his head as he imagined the Sorceress telling him that pent-up desires and sexual tension had something to do with his breaking down the barriers in Teela's mind: he wanted her so his mind sought her out. He shook his head again. That was ridiculous. At least he hoped it was. He had enough embarrassment this week to last a lifetime, much less discovering a new ability that powered itself with his libido. That would be a nightmare!

He now found himself almost wishing he could go to sleep to get these thoughts out of his mind. He supposed the only way to get his current idea out of his mind was to find another that also made sense. What had he been doing at that moment when he heard her thoughts?

He thought back and remembered that he had been simply holding her and enjoying the feeling of her body pressed against his. He had wanted to savor it, to make the moment last. Maybe subconsciously he had wanted to get even closer, so his mind had intertwined with hers?

He shrugged at himself and sighed. He glanced down at the floor to Cringer. " _Maybe I can talk it out with him_ ," he told himself, but he quickly noticed his feline friend was already asleep and his feet were twitching constantly. He was obviously dreaming. " _I wonder what about_." He continued to look at Cringer and then he closed his eyes. He told himself he wanted to enter Cringer's mind. He wanted to see what he was seeing…

It didn't work.

He tried for almost five minutes before giving up. The only positive thing his actions had accomplished was that he was now tired. He rolled over in his bed, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

=)=)=)

_Cringer hunched down and hid himself in the tall grass of the Fertile Plains. Every so often, he would lift his head just enough so his eyes could peer over the grass. He saw what he wanted to attack and his hind legs and tail twitched in anticipation. Ever so slowly, he took a step forward and tried to not make a sound. Every time he looked up to make sure his target was still there, it was._

_When he got within several feet of it, Cringer brought his legs together and twitched as he waited for the perfect moment. Suddenly, he pounced and hoped for the best. The slight flutter of wings against his paws told him he had been unsuccessful. He watched as the butterfly flew away with him. He gave chase and just as the insect flew up into a tree, the tiger looked behind him._

_In the distance, Adam could tell that Cringer was surprised to see him. He obviously hadn't expected him to be there, but that was odd since they were together a lot. The prince looked around and recognized where he was, but oddly he realized he couldn't remember_ _**how** _ _he had arrived. He was sitting against a tree, simply watching the scene unfold as a mere bystander…but now Cringer had abandoned his mission and was walking towards him._

_When they were within three feet of one another, Cringer said, "I thought you were going to stay at the pond. You promised me a big fish."_

_He furrowed his brow in confusion. He didn't remember making any promises or even being at the pond. He stared at the tiger for a moment hesitantly before asking, "Cringer, how did we get here?"_

_The tiger immediately began to shake at his question. "W-What do you mean?"_

" _I mean, I don't remember coming to the Fertile Plains. And, I certainly don't remember promising you a fish." He looked around again and asked, "How is that even possible? My favorite fishing hole is in the Evergreen Forest! Surely, you didn't walk all the way here, and I wouldn't have followed on foot…"_

_Cringer looked around worriedly and exclaimed, "Oh-oh-Adam!"_

" _Yeah?" he asked as he looked around at his surroundings again._

" _I…I—I don't remember how I got here either!"_

_Suddenly, the great cat sprung from his spot to jump into Adam's arms. As a result, they both fell._

=)=)=)

Adam awoke to find himself twisted in his blankets and falling to the floor with a large green and yellow tiger on top of him. He hit the ground with a sickening thud and groaned on impact. "Cringer!" he whined and pushed on his companion. "What are you doing?"

The tiger immediately hopped off of him and exclaimed, "I don't know how we got here, Adam!" He looked around the room and let out a startled yelp as he latched his front arms around his master's head. "I don't know how we got here, either!"

"Cringer!" the prince all but shouted. He pushed on the tiger's chest and worked a hand between his face and Cringer's leg to get his friend to let go.

Once he was free, Cringer asked hurriedly, "What are we gonna do? If we're just jumping from one place to another every so often, the next place might be Snake Mountain!"

He petted his pet comfortingly and replied, "I think you were dreaming, Old Buddy."

Cringer looked at him hopefully. "You think so? So, y-you weren't just with me in the Fertile Plains wondering how w-we got there when we were supposed to be in the Evergreen Forest?"

He looked at him oddly. "Did I promise you something in the dream?"

"Yes, a fish!"

"And, you were chasing a butterfly in the Fertile Plains."

Cringer whimpered and latched onto Adam's head again.

The prince sighed and said forcibly, "Cringer, would you cut it out? We were simply having the same dream."

The tiger let go and exclaimed, "But t-the last time we did that Darkdream had broken free! Do you think—"

He shook his head and answered before the question was even asked. "No, I think it has to do with me and the Sword of Power." He glanced over to his bookshelf where he had hidden the sword before Teela had shown up earlier. He turned back to his companion and whispered, "I think He-Man and Battlecat are about to get a new ability."

"Well, I don't think I'm gonna like this one, Adam," the tiger complained.

He nodded as he glanced out the window in the direction of Castle Grayskull. "Yeah, I don't know if I will, either."

=)=)=)

His opinion didn't improve in the morning.

Instead, he awoke to find Cringer gone and he had the unsettling idea that his pet had left during the night to get away from him and his roaming mind. And, his disposition didn't change as the day progressed. As soon as he stepped foot outside his bedroom, he found the palace…different. He wasn't sure how, but it was.

He walked towards the dining room, hoping he could put his uneasiness aside, but a voice interrupted his progress.

"Mmm, he sure is looking sexy this morning. I wonder what he'd do if I went over there and ran my hand over his fur."

He abruptly turned around and stared at Lady Amanda. She was a courtier he had flirted with for fun in the past…but they had never said anything like that to each other before. It had always been harmless fun…or so he had thought. "What?" he asked her with a raised brow.

Lady Amanda stopped in her tracks. "What?" She looked and sounded genuinely surprised.

He frowned and said unsurely, "I thought you just said something."

She shook her head. "No."

And, Adam was shocked to hear her voice and see that her lips were not moving.

" _I didn't speak out loud, did I? Oh, Ancients! No, of course, I didn't. He just imagined something. Easy, girl. Play it off._ " She smiled and gave an obviously fake laugh. "Are you hearing things, Prince Adam?"

He swallowed roughly and whispered, "I suppose I am." He turned around quickly and continued walking to the dining room. " _No, this isn't happening_ ," he told himself. " _I'm imagining it. I don't want to hear Lady Amanda's thoughts, so why would I tune in to her? I'm just worrying so much that I think I'm doing it constantly. Yeah, that has to be it._ "

He walked into the dining room with his parents and smiled. "Good morning, everyone," he stated abruptly as he noticed he was the last one to arrive again. As he walked to his seat, he heard a montage of thoughts:

" _He looks nervous. Is he worried that his parents know about what we did yesterday?_ "

" _I wonder what's bothering that son of mine_."

" _Oh, no…is Skeletor up to his old tricks again? Adam should have come to me for help_."

" _Oh, I hope I don't mess up this trick. I've practiced it for three days straight._ "

He immediately stopped and cried, "Uh, I just…uh, remembered something I have to do!" He turned around and ran from the room. He heard Teela call after him, but he didn't slow down. He jumped in the first Windraider he saw once he got outside and flew to Castle Grayskull.

=)=)=)

The more he thought about it, the more he hated the idea of being able to hear people's thoughts. Not only was it a violation of privacy, he was also learning things he simply did NOT want to know! He knew every time he saw Lady Amanda from now on, he would remember that she wants to grab him in some places that would make Teela want to kill her…

He shuddered at the thought. " _That would not be a pleasant sight_."

Then, at that moment, he felt the Sorceress' presence in his mind and he allowed her to know what he was thinking and feeling. By the time he landed the Windraider at Castle Grayskull, the drawbridge was already open.

The Sorceress stood in the center of her throne room. He hadn't stepped two feet into the room before she started speaking. "The answer is simple, Prince Adam. You want to know how to control your ability to touch the mind of others." She smiled a little as he stepped in front of her. "The truth is you already know how to do it." She patted his shoulder as she walked by to take her seat upon the throne.

"What?" he asked quickly. "I don't know how to control it. I was listening to people's thoughts today that I certainly didn't want to hear!"

She replied, "But you control it all the time." At the sight of Adam wrinkling his face, she continued, "You have done it far more than you realize. You just never associated it with an ability of your own. Now, you have finally recognized that it is coming from you." She paused for a moment and said, "Adam, do you remember the time that Nepthu captured and imprisoned me in the Temple of the Sun?"

"Of course," he answered. "He used the magic he found for evil, but what does that have to do with reading minds?"

She smiled. "I was weak, remember. I contacted you telepathically, but I couldn't hold on. You re-established contact with me.  **You**  were the one who contacted me at that time. Yes, I had problems responding, but I heard you loud and clear. This is an extension of the power you are just now discovering."

At Adam's look of disbelief, she gave another example. "How do you think She-Ra was able to contact you the time she had made that promise to Hordak not to break free? Remember, she has to call me using her sword and yet that day, she called out to you and you knew immediately what she wanted and where she was."

"That's because we're twins."

"No, that's why you're so attuned to her, but that's not how you received the message and interpreted it. You made it possible, Adam. You looked up at the star and wanted to know what it was trying to tell you. You connected with it."

He thought about it for a second and then asked, "So…you're saying I can speak to anyone with my mind like I do with you?"

She shook her head. "No, you can only speak to those who are close and dear to you, but you can listen to anyone if you so wish…but hear me, Prince Adam: there are dangers when listening, so my advice is to do it only when necessary and only with those you trust."

He nodded. He didn't know what else to do. He was…surprised.

"Just turn it on and off the way you would if you were speaking with me. It may take some practice to get used to doing it with others, but you will figure it out."

Adam nodded again and took a deep breath to steady himself. He glanced at her and because he didn't know what else to do, he mumbled, "Well, I guess I should be getting back to the palace. I left abruptly and—"

The Sorceress' next words stopped him cold. "Oh, before you go, Adam, I wanted you to know that I can see your future again, as well as Teela's."


	12. The Time Has Come

Teela's Visitor Chapter 12

He hadn't known how badly he had dreaded and longed for this moment until that very second. He was completely torn. Paradoxically, the felt elated and terrified to hear the Sorceress' next words. Would she reveal that Teela and he had a future together? Would Teela one day rule Eternia by his side? Or would she reveal that their futures had changed for the worst?

He stared at the Sorceress expectantly, waiting to hear her continue, but after a few more moments, he realized she had no intention of saying anything. He blinked several times in confusion and asked shakily, "Aren't you going to tell me what you've seen, Sorceress? Are our futures happy? Are we together? Are we…"

Before he could get another question out, she answered, "The glimpses I've seen show happiness and joy. I have gathered the distinct impression that you are happier in these visions than you were before."

He grinned. He had no doubt in his mind that the happiness she saw was due to Teela. She always had the power to make him happy and he was thrilled that things had not changed for the worst. "What do you see?" he asked, excitedly. "Are Teela and I married? Am I king yet in your vision?"

With a genuine look of remorse that instantly made him pause, she replied, "Remember what I told you when you discovered that I could no longer see your future? I told you that it is not good to know too much—it might inhibit you from making things better or it might even cause you to make things worse. Sometimes, trials and struggles bring about happiness, but if you're confident that the future will turn out all right, you might not go through the conditions that made that future possible. Therefore, the only thing I will tell you is that you are still the prince in my vision and you are very happy in  _that moment_. I won't go beyond that."

He frowned. "So, what are you saying? That the future might be horrible but in that one particular moment I'm happy?"

"That is possible, but that's not what I meant exactly. What I'm trying to explain, Adam, is that even if I told you that your future is everything you ever wished for, that's no guarantee that it will happen. The future can change at any given moment, and I don't want my telling you the future to affect anything."

He immediately looked down at the ground and sighed. "Well, if you're not telling me, that must mean things are pretty good. If it were bad, you'd tell me so I could change it." He met her eyes pleadingly. "But there is one thing I want to know more than anything else and I'm sure you know what it is. I want to know if Teela and I are together. If that's not in the future that you see, I want to do whatever I can to make it happen. Can you at least answer that much?"

She shook her head. "I cannot."

He thought about trying to read her mind but quickly decided against it. That would be a violation of the trust they had for one another. If she thought it was best that he didn't know, he would have to accept that. And then, another possibility entered his mind. He grinned and asked excitedly, "Then, perhaps you can answer this: can I tell Teela that I'm He-Man now?"

His heart jumped into his throat when, without hesitation, the Sorceress gave him a nod and said, "You must do what you think is right, Adam. I know you want to progress your relationship with Teela, but be careful. Her initial reaction might not be what you want, but I'll be watching to see its results and we'll go from there."

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms stood outside as he landed the Windraider. He could tell his mentor had been working on a nearby AttakTrak but had stopped when he had heard his approach. Instead of avoiding the elder's questioning gaze when he stepped his feet onto the ground, he met it steadily and walked over to him.

"Duncan," he greeted.

"Adam," he replied.

There was something in the way that his eyes twitched that told him Duncan had a million questions to ask. He bit his lip hesitantly as he wondered if he should tell him about his new power or should he demonstrate it. Feeling that Man-at-Arms wouldn't mind, he listened in.

"… _Now, he's just staring at me. I wish he would talk to me. Everyone is worried about him. It's not like Adam to run off like he did this morning without any cause, and if there were, he would usually tell me._

Adam smiled to soften the words he was about to say and replied aloud, "I would have told you, Man-at-Arms, but my parents were in the room. You know as well as I do that they can't know certain things and what happened this morning is one of them."

He watched in amusement as Duncan wrinkled his brow in confusion. He heard him think, " _What in the devil is he talking about_?"

Before the inventor could ask aloud, he said, "I'm talking about this morning. You just said internally that I usually tell you everything and that you wished I would talk to you. I'm just letting you know that I couldn't at that point in time."

He grinned as Man-at-Arms widened his eyes. Duncan suddenly stared at him unblinkingly and thought his next question: " _Are you doing what I think you're doing without the Sorceress' aid_?"

This would be the first time he would speak to someone besides the Sorceress with his telepathy. He wondered if he'd be able to do it with the first try. He took a deep breath and thought, " _Yes, I am…surprise!_ "

Duncan widened his eyes immediately and Adam knew his attempt was successful. "What? How? How did this happen?"

He laughed and answered aloud, "It's a long story, but let's just say telepathy is one of He-Man's  **and** Adam's capabilities and I didn't discover it until recently. That's why I ran out of the dining room this morning. I went to see the Sorceress."

Duncan shook his head in amazement and exclaimed, "By the Ancients!"

He nodded, leaned closer to Duncan, and whispered, "And, if you think that's something, wait until you hear what I was given permission to do." He told him telepathically and the soldier's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"By the Ancients!" replied Duncan again.

"Is that all you can say?" he asked jokingly.

When his mentor nodded, Adam laughed heartily. He felt such relief by being able to discuss these developments with someone. He hoped wholeheartedly that he would feel the same when he made his big confession to Teela and that she would be able to accept it calmly. He knew that might not happen, but he prayed for it nonetheless.

=)=)=)

He knew he had never known anyone as beautiful as her. Her red hair shined brilliantly in the sun and her soft, yet strong tanned body moved flawlessly in a deadly dance of self-defense. Her men and she were practicing the same routine she had shown them during their last training session, and Teela seemed very pleased with everyone as she ceased her movements to watch them continue.

As had happened the last time Teela had worked with her men, she had noticed him but instead of pausing and stumbling this time, she simply smiled at him every so often, and that at least gave him the comfort of knowing that she wasn't mad at him for running out of the dining room that morning. He had been worried about that. He knew he would have to explain it, but right now, the only thing he could worry about telling her was that he was He-Man. He was questioning whether he should tell her now or wait to do it in a more romantic atmosphere. He wanted to get the secret out as quickly as possible despite how much he feared her reaction. So many things could go wrong if he didn't do it in the right way. He worried about doing it during a romantic dinner, because he didn't want to give her the impression that he thought his being He-Man would be something that would…lead to romance. He didn't want to offend her in that way, so he wanted to stay clear of that, but he also recognized that this wasn't the kind of secret you simply blurted out after a workout session either. At that moment, he decided he would have to play it by ear. He would simply spend time in her presence and wait until a moment presented itself.

For several more minutes, he watched Teela critique her soldiers and give advice. When she finally dismissed them, he made his way over to her. Feeling as shy and hesitant as the first day they kissed, when he reached her he whispered, "Hey."

"Hey, you," she replied as she bent down to pick up her sword and shield.

When she straightened, he took them from her and said, "I'll take these to the storage room. You wait here."

He jogged to the room and put the items away. He was surprised when he felt a sudden hand brush against his side and slip around him from behind. He grinned and snapped playfully, "I thought I told you to stay outside, Captain! You disobeyed a direct order from your prince!"

He turned around to see Teela's non-repentant smile. She slipped her other arm around him, cocked her head to the side with attitude and spat, "And, just what are you going to do about it?"

He grinned wickedly and whispered as he leaned in to kiss her, "Oh, I don't know. How about this?" He quickly ran his hands down her legs, picked her up as she yelped in surprise, and placed her on a nearby counter. He then stepped between her dangling legs, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her to him tightly. Immediately in contrast to his prior actions, he slowed down and kissed her tenderly. He brushed his lips across hers lightly and increased the pressure only a fraction every so often, but as soon as she moved in to make more contact, he would pull away. They did this over and over again. When she finally groaned in frustration, he asked, "How do you like your punishment?"

"It's torture!" she cried and he finally pressed his lips fully against hers.

When they pulled apart a minute later, breathing erratically, Teela placed both of her hands on each side of his face to make him stare into her eyes as she stated, "I missed you this morning."

"And, I missed you," he replied as he ran his hands down her legs. He hesitated for a second. He knew why she had said that. She was questioning his actions during breakfast. Realizing there was no way she was going to drop this, he apologized. "I'm sorry I ran out of the dining room this morning. I had to meet with someone and it was very important."

"Oh, really," she replied with interest, dropping her hands, "with who?"

Deciding to be truthful so he could see where it would take them, he whispered, "The Sorceress of Grayskull."

She immediately pulled away. "Why would you meet with her?" she asked abruptly. It seemed like his answer had immediately killed her loving mood.

Seeing an opening to bring up the big subject, he wondered if he should take it. He then realized that no matter what excuse he gave, especially if he told the truth, it would lead to his secret, so he decided he would be blunt. After all, he had wanted her to know for years and he was tired of waiting. Besides, he didn't know if he could hold himself back now that he had permission. Not to mention, they needed to know how his telling her would affect their future. The Sorceress said she would be watching. Shuddering with nerves, he asked, "Remember when I told you we shouldn't make love until you learned my secret?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

He leaned forward to kiss her lightly before he whispered, "I asked her if it would be okay to tell you my secret."

She widened her eyes and stared at him in shock. "She was the one who made you keep this secret from everyone?"

He nodded and breathed deeply. "Yes, and she said I could tell you." He scratched his head and then mumbled, "I just don't know how to do it. I've never had to tell anyone before. The few who do know were told by the Sorceress or they discovered it on their own."

"You could just say it," she whispered, brushing her hand against his cheek and staring into his eyes lovingly.

He shook his head and chuckled nervously. "This isn't the kind of secret you just blurt out. I have to ease into it."

"Adam, you're scaring me," she stated worriedly.

He looked down at the floor and admitted, "There's no reason for  _you_  to be scared, but I am."

"Why?"

He met her eyes again. "Because you might hate me for keeping this from you for so long. I don't want to lose you, and I know you're going to be angry."

She wrapped both of her arms around him comfortingly and pulled him to her as tightly as she could. "Look, Adam, you've been preparing me. I already know that you didn't choose to keep this from me. The Sorceress of Grayskull made you promise not to tell anyone. I know that you've wanted to tell me for a while...and look, you're telling me as soon as she gave the okay, so there's nothing to worry about. I know you want me to know, so I won't blame you."

He nodded and whispered, "Okay…okay." He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "Before I say anything else, I just want to say that I love you and despite what you just told me, I'll understand if you're angry or need some space." He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose sharply. When he looked at her again, he began softly, "Teela, what I've wanted to tell you for so long is that...I'm…I'm…" He broke off. "Ancients, this is hard."

Teela grabbed his hand, brought it to her lips, and kissed it softly as she continued to stare into his eyes. "Just tell me."

Gathering up all the courage he could muster, he closed his eyes and said hurriedly, "I'm He-Man."

A silence developed and he slowly opened his eyes.


	13. He-Man Revealed

Teela's Visitor Chapter 13

The seconds ticked by without a sound, so he had no choice but to open his eyes to assess the situation. Slowly, he forced himself to look at her face, and he saw why a silence had filled the room. She didn't know how to feel yet. He watched various emotions flitter across her face. What he saw first was confusion; then, he saw a look of determination. But that look soon morphed into one of anger.

Their eyes met and he reached out to hold her. "Teela," he whispered. His heart broke as she placed a hand in the center of his chest so he couldn't move any closer. Fearful that he was about to lose everything he had ever wanted, he pleaded with her. "Teela, please say something."

She glared at him, hopped down from the counter, and spat sharply, "Adam, this is no time for you to be telling jokes! You said you had an important secret to share with me, but if it turns out you've been playing with me this whole time, so help me, I'll…"

He didn't want her to finish her thought. To stop her, he grabbed her hand and stated firmly, "I'm not fooling around! I'm actually quite serious!" When he saw her brows furrow even more, he cried out, "I am He-Man!" He let go of her hand and turned away quickly.

He was surprised. In all the scenarios he had ever played out in his mind when she finally learned his secret, it had always started with her yelling and questioning why he hadn't trusted her. He had never anticipated that he would have to convince her that he actually was He-Man! Looking back now, he realized that was really foolish of him, but he had believed that as soon as the words were spoken, she would see them as the truth. He thought naively that it would be like a switch flipping on somewhere inside her head. Obviously, he had simply wanted to believe that the big reveal would be that easy, because he knew the aftermath would be unbearable. He had wanted to believe that there would only be one problem to handle when he finally told her the truth, and as usual, reality had thrown him a curveball.

He had to convince her.

He ran a hand through his hair exasperatedly before he turned back around to say, "I know this seems unbelievable to you, but I'm not joking and I'm not making things up. Just think about it, Teela."

He watched all expression leave her face, so he stepped closer and hoped fervently that he was getting through to her. "I used to be skilled at fighting when we were kids, remember? We used to joust and play combat with one another all the time. Does it make sense that I would suddenly unlearn these things and become so helpless as I got older? Don't you see, I had a secret to protect and what better way than to hide my identity as the supposed bravest man on the planet than to be the biggest coward on the planet!"

As she continued to stare at him, he offered more proof. "Ask yourself if you've ever seen He-Man and me together! Ask yourself when He-Man shows up! I'll tell you the answers to both: no, you haven't seen us together and He-Man shows up when Prince Adam disappears."

He opened his mouth to say more, but Teela lifted a hand and said simply, "Stop."

He ceased all movement and stared at her.

She blinked several times before whispering, "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She immediately looked down at the ground and questioned softly, almost to herself, "How can it be true? He-Man and you…you're two separate people. I've known you both for so long and you're so different. You don't look alike, you don't act alike, and you certainly don't fight alike."

He stepped closer to her and was relieved when she didn't move away. He lifted a hand to her face to get her to look up at him. When she did, he saw the tears glistening there. "Are you so sure about that? Look at me, Teela. Really look at me and think about He-Man." He stepped back so she could stare at him. He held his hands out for a moment and then he widened his eyes as a thought occurred to him. He reached behind him with his right hand and pulled out the Sword of Power.

Her eyes fastened on it. "That's He-Man's sword," she said with a sudden realization.

He nodded and added softly, "It's  _my_  sword. It's what transforms me into He-Man."

He watched as she looked him up and down. When their eyes met again, she suddenly gasped. "It is you!" she cried.

He could do nothing but nod at her and put his sword back into its invisible sheathe as he watched the wonderment leave her eyes. As suspected the whole time, anger finally settled there again.

She glared at him once more and snapped, "Who else knows?"

"What?" he asked, suddenly feeling confused. He hadn't expected that question.

"You heard me, Adam! Who else knows your secret? Who else knows that you're He-Man?"

He swallowed roughly and answered truthfully. "Only a few people know: there's Cringer, of course—he's Battlecat." He couldn't help but smile as he saw her eyes widen at that one. He had always been of the opinion that out of all the secrets he knew of Castle Grayskull, that one was the most astonishing. He continued, "Obviously, the Sorceress knows." To forestall the answers that he knew would make her angry, he skipped those who would be the most important to her. "Adora also knows, and I suppose it won't be hard to figure out who she is, as well. And, of course, those who know her secret also know mine. There's Lighthope, Madame Razz, and Kowl."

When he paused, she questioned with a frown, "So, that's it? The only people on this planet who know are the Sorceress and Cringer?"

Looking down, he shook his head. "No, there are two more people. I just don't want you to get any angrier than you already are."

She narrowed her eyes. "Tell me."

Without preamble, he gave her the last two names softly: "Man-at-Arms and Orko."

He watched as she shook her head heatedly and began to pace back and forth. "I can't believe this!" she cried.

Desperate to calm her, he called out, "Teela, it's not their fault that they didn't tell you! They made a promise just like I did to never reveal my secret to anyone! We did it for the greater good of Eternia, and I understand why you're mad now, but I hope when you calm down, you'll realize that we did what we thought to be right."

He stopped speaking when he saw her turn to him abruptly. When he raised an eyebrow questioningly, she explained intensely, "I'm not mad that they didn't tell me your secret! I'm not even mad that they know…not really!"

"Then what is it?" he asked.

He took a step closer to her and saw the tears gathering in her eyes. They slipped down her cheeks slowly, and she whispered so softly that he barely heard her. "For years, people have berated you, called you a coward, and made jokes when you were late or overly tired." She wiped at her cheeks. "You've been alone, haven't you? You've borne everything everybody has ever thrown at you alone, and I can't believe that you walked away from that unscathed. What people said and thought…that had to hurt you. I know I've said some pretty hurtful things, as well as your own father." She shook her head. "And, the fact that my father knew and he even didn't help you…" She narrowed her eyes again.

"Teela, he did help me!" he interjected quickly. He suddenly realized where her thoughts were going and he didn't want there to be problems between Duncan and her.

She shook her head as her face reddened. "No! He may have helped you keep your secret, and he might have even been there to lend you an ear, but he didn't help! There are a million things he could have done to make things easier for you! He could have helped you come up with a better plan to hide your secret than making you become the cowardly prince! How could he just stand by and let you do that? Our job as members of the Guard is to protect the Royal Family and he just watched you hurt yourself, your reputation, and your family and friends!"

Desperate to stop this line of thought, he argued, "Teela, you've gotten this all wrong! I am the one who is responsible for how I covered my tracks. Circumstances and my own decisions made me act as Cowardly Prince Adam. You can't blame your father or anyone else for that besides me!"

She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot once. "YES, I CAN!" she yelled. Her tears started spilling more quickly. "He knew the consequences of your actions! He-Man showed up two or three years ago. You were still a kid, really. How could you have foreseen the extent of the consequences of that decision? But he was able to, and I dare say he did see them!"

"That's not true!"

She walked up to him rapidly and said softly, "Yes, it is. You're just so kindhearted and so trusting that you choose not to believe it. I love that about you, Adam. The Ancients know I do, but I want to hate all of them for not helping you! I'm angry…" She shook her head and looked away as her tears continued to fall. She got louder and spat, "I'm FURIOUS at the Sorceress and my father for making you do this alone! If they didn't want to help or couldn't help supposedly, they should have trusted me with your secret! After all, if they gave you permission to tell me this now, why couldn't you have told me then? I could have helped you! I certainly would have done more for you than they have!"

Not being able to stand and watch her pain any longer, he pulled Teela into his arms and held her as they both cried.

To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He had never believed this would be her reaction. She wasn't mad at him! He smiled through his tears as he realized that she was mad at the world on his behalf. It was something to be thankful for and to fear. He was thankful that he had talked to her and prepared her to hear his secret beforehand—he knew that had helped her to see things as they truly were in his case, but he feared what her reaction would be the next time she saw her father or the Sorceress. He knew he would have to get her to let her resentment and anger go…but for the moment, he simply held her. For once, he felt like Cringer and he finally had someone who was determined to go through everything they would ever go through together and would never allow them to handle any aspect of it alone. That was more than he had ever hoped for.

=)=)=)

He was happier than he had been in a long time. Despite the fact that they were in a storage room simply holding one another, he couldn't remember a time when he had felt so sure and so positive that she loved him.

Him.

Not Cowardly Prince Adam.

Not He-Man.

But HIM.

She no longer saw the façade that he had so desperately tried to keep. He knew it would take her some time to get used to this "New Adam," but he had no doubt she would. And, because of her reaction to his secret, he didn't have a doubt in his mind that Teela and he had a future together. He didn't foolishly believe that everything would be easy—he knew they still had a lot of things to go through, namely undergoing an official courtship, handling her status as Captain of the Royal Guard, and giving her the time to get to know "the real him" better. He knew all of that, but now that Teela "knew all," he believed wholeheartedly that they would persevere.

Amusingly (or perhaps not), he knew their next big obstacle would be one he had never anticipated before today: in order for them to be together, he had to stop Teela from killing her parents. He grinned as he thought jokingly about explaining to the masses that despite her being a murderess, he could think of no one better to be the future Queen of Eternia. Yeah, that would go over well…

Pulling her tighter against him, he continued to hold her. He knew they would have to leave this storage room eventually. The rest of the day was out there for them to live through, but for the moment, he wanted to keep that pressure off of them.

He pulled back his head slightly and evidently she felt his movements because she did the same. When their eyes met, he couldn't control himself. Despite wanting to give her time to relearn who he really was, he had to say it. "I love you," he whispered.

She smiled and replied, "I love you, too, Prince Adam of Eternia." He watched as her smile then turned into a devilish grin as she whispered, "And, I love you, too, He-Man."


	14. The Aftermath

Teela's Visitor Chapter 14

"I want to know everything!" exclaimed Teela as she pulled slightly back from their embrace. "I want to know when and how you got the ability to turn into He-Man. I want to know how you learned to use your powers! I want to know who made the decision of who you could tell your secret to! I want to know…"

Adam interrupted her ramble by laughing heartily. To silence her, he squeezed her tightly and dragged her name out amusingly. It had the desired effect. She blushed at him, and he knew she realized she was getting a little carried away with her questioning. He smiled at her and stared deeply into her eyes. "I'll tell you everything you want to know and then some," he assured her, "but I will warn you that it will take some time. It's a long story with a lot of…complications."

"I don't doubt that," she replied softly, rubbing one of her hands up and down his back as they continued to hold one another. "We can handle one topic at a time. We have plenty of time to discuss everything. After all, isn't that what our courtship will be all about? We're supposed to get to know one another better. I just didn't realize that we'd actually have the need, but it turns out we do."

He nodded as he let go of her body, took her hands, and intertwined their fingers together. "Precisely," he agreed, "and I can't tell you how happy I am that you know now. I've wanted to tell you everything for so long—it's almost unbelievable that I finally have the opportunity. I'm so glad that you'll be able to get to know the real me and not fall in love with a shadow or an incomplete version of myself. You don't know how much of a relief that is."

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him briefly on the lips. "You never had to worry about that in the first place," she whispered as she pulled away slowly.

"What do you mean?" He squinted his face a little to show his confusion.

She smiled and squeezed his right hand a little harder than she had been briefly. "Adam, I've loved you since we were kids. He-Man has only been around for the last couple of years, so the boy I knew and fell in love with when we were children was really you."

He smiled widely and asked, "You've loved me since we were kids?"

"Yes, and trust me, I spent many nights as a child wishing I was a princess or part of the aristocracy, so I would be the kind of girl you are supposed to have."

He frowned and lifted both of his hands to her face. He held her gently and said forcibly but tenderly, "Teela, never believe that you're inferior to any of those women in court. I've certainly never viewed you that way. I've loved you since we were kids, too, and when I thought of the future then and now, you were the only person I could ever imagine myself with. To hear that you worried over castes and our feudal system…it makes me hate that I'm a prince." When she widened her eyes a little, he leaned forward and kissed her gently. "I now realize we might have been a couple a long time ago if my birthright had been a little less royal."

She shrugged as he dropped his hands from her face. "That might be true but maybe not. I think I might have been worried if you were even a merchant's son." She sighed a little when he lifted a brow. "Adam, the truth is I really don't know my birthright. Yes, I know my birth father was a member of the Royal Guard, but any man of any stature can join the Guard…and my mother, well, I don't know anything about her at all. You know as well as I do that a lot of people—not just the aristocracy—look at class when deciding who to marry. Women who have questionable lineages usually don't end up with men of high nobility."

His frown intensified at her words. "My family has never cared about social classes, you know that. My father certainly didn't marry royalty, and my mother's background is as questionable as anyone's on this planet could get." He lifted his hand to brush his fingers across her cheek. "I wouldn't care if both of your parents were beggars on the street." He then placed his hand over her heart. "What comes from here is the only thing I care about, and when judging from that alone, you're a queen."

Instantly, Teela wrapped her arms around him again as she chuckled a little. "How in the world did we go from discussing you being He-Man to our places in society?"

He hugged her tightly and answered, "I've always known that you've longed to know who your mother is, and because of that, I'm sure certain anxieties have gone along with that desire over the years." He pulled back to look into her eyes. "You obviously needed and wanted to discuss our societal ranks—it was bothering you, so I'm glad we got it out in the open. Just know that I love you for who you are and I don't care about anything else." He grinned a little and asked, "Do you got that, Captain?"

She nodded and laughed a little more. "Yes, I do."

"Besides," he added happily, "my father is going to handle that aspect of things. If he deems you worthy, no one has a right to say anything and we already know thanks to what's currently in my dresser drawer, among other things, that he doesn't have a problem with 'us.'" He gestured with his finger back and forth between them.

At that, her smile widened and she laughed a little harder. "That's certainly true! I wonder what your admirers in court would think about the king giving you condoms so you could have sex with the Captain of the Guard!"

He immediately wrapped his arms around her and corrected, "You mean 'make love.'" Then, he leaned down slightly and kissed her. He moved his lips against hers softly, almost like he was giving her a massage with them. He then pulled her against him tightly and held her there as her hands travelled up and down his back leisurely.

When they pulled their lips apart, she smiled and looked down at the floor somewhat shyly before she met his gaze again. "Yes, that's what I meant," she whispered. "And, do you know what I just realized?"

He lifted his eyebrows questioningly.

A blush suddenly appeared on her cheeks and quickly spread across her face and down her neck. Continuing to whisper, she told him, "You've told me your secret now, so that means…nothing is holding us back now." He knew what she was referring to. She tried to look down to the concrete beneath them again, but he wouldn't let her.

He placed his fingers under her chin and said comfortingly, "That doesn't mean that we have to do anything, Teela. We'll make love when we both know the time is right. I know you might want to know more about He-Man before we go that far, and that's okay. I want our first time to be right for the both of us. I will do whatever you want to make sure everything is perfect for you…even if we have to wait until we're married."

She chuckled a little. "You sure are putting the cart before the horse, Adam," she teased. She slapped him on the chest playfully. "We haven't even had our first official date yet or announced to the public that we're courting. I haven't even had my meeting with your father to discuss my place in the Guard…" She shook her head and laughed again. "And, here you are, already talking marriage."

He shrugged and smiled at her unrepentantly. "You've already told me that you love me and that you've decided you want to be with me even if that means becoming the Princess of Eternia. There's only one way to do that, you know." He winked and then added, "Besides, I want you to know what my intentions are, so there will be no misunderstandings or debating with yourself. We've done enough of that as far as I'm concerned now that we know how long we've loved each other and that our insecurities and uncertainties kept us apart." He stared at her intently and stated, "I plan on marrying you, Teela. Like I said earlier, I've only ever imagined you as my wife, even when we were kids, so I want to do everything right and I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy, even if that means waiting until we're married to make love or telling everyone that I'm He-Man."

She grinned, lifted her head, and kissed him softly. "Well, I won't ask you to do either, I don't think, especially the latter. But, it does mean a lot that you'd be willing to if you thought it would make me happy."

Before he could respond, he was interrupted by someone clearing his throat. They both turned to see King Randor standing in the doorway.

Widening his eyes, Adam looked at him worriedly and asked, "How long have you been standing there?"

The king laughed at his son. "I just walked up. No reason to get jumpy, Adam. I didn't hear your conversation." He grinned amusedly and explained, "I just wanted to find Teela since I now have a spare moment. I thought it would be a good time to talk about her duties with the Guard. I heard voices coming from this room, so I assumed it might be you two since Teela's training session with some of the troops finished up not too long ago."

Before either of them could say anything, the king ordered, "Come along, Teela. We'll meet up with Adam at lunch in less than an hour."

Without any objections, Teela did as she was told but not before Adam grabbed her and kissed her chastely one more time.

=)=)=)

Adam walked into Man-at-Arms' workshop and saw his mentor tinkering with something he couldn't identify. "Working on something new?" he questioned.

Duncan immediately glanced over at him and set the item down. "No, it's part of the console for the AttakTrak I was working on earlier. Truthfully, I've been waiting for you to show back up."

He walked to his friend and asked, "How did you know I'd show back up before lunch? You might have been waiting for a long time."

"An educated guess," Duncan answered. "I know you left earlier to talk to Teela. I thought there might be news since the Sorceress said you could tell her everything." They stared at each other for a moment. "Did you? Did you tell her?"

He smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes, and Duncan, I would never have expected her reaction in a million years." At Duncan's questioning look, he continued, "She wasn't angry with me for not telling her before now. I pretty much prepared her to hear the news. I told her before today that I had a secret that I wanted very much to tell her but couldn't because of a promise I made. I'm so glad I did. She…" He paused. "Well, it's good news for me but not for everyone involved."

"What do you mean?"

He blew air out of his lungs slowly and explained. "The first thing she wanted to know after I convinced her that I was He-Man was who else knew." He watched as a look of understanding flashed across Man-at-Arms' face. "I…had to tell her. I don't want anymore secrets between us. When I told her about you and Orko…she lost it. There's no other way to explain it."

Duncan nodded. He seemed to have expected that reaction from his daughter. "Did you explain that we didn't have a choice either?" he asked. "That we were not permitted to tell her your secret either?"

"Yes, I did, but that's not what she was angry about. She's angry with you and the Sorceress for…" He stopped speaking again. He didn't know how in the world he was going to word it. Taking a deep breath, he simply told it the best way he knew how. "She's convinced that both of you didn't handle things with me properly. She thinks you didn't help as much as you could have with my secret." He shook his head. "Just so she doesn't blindside you, you should know one of her arguments is that you're a member of the Guard, so your job is to protect me. She said you simply watched me hurt myself, my reputation, and my family and friends, so you fell short. She thinks you should have helped me to come up with a better way to hide my secret from everyone. She is rather insistent that you must have seen the possible ramifications of my ruse and simply chose not to do anything about it."

Man-at-Arms turned his back on him.

"I told her she was mistaken and that you did help me," he assured him. "It might take a little while, but we'll convince her. I tried, but we got onto other subjects and then my father showed up to talk to her about her place in the Guard. I just wanted you to know just in case she corners you before I can speak with her again. You can come up with a decent argument to give her, because we both know she's going to talk to you about it eventually no matter what I say to her."

He watched as Duncan hung his head low and mumbled with his back still to him. "I don't know what argument I could give to that, Adam." He turned around. "She's right to a certain extent."

His jaw dropped open. "What?"

Man-at-Arms took off his helmet, set it on the table, and rubbed his face several times. "Look, son…" He paused and then sat on a nearby stool. He gestured for Adam to do the same. "I can argue why I couldn't tell her your secret without any problems whatsoever, but trying to convince her that I couldn't have helped you more and that I didn't see the problems with your cover story…well, that's a little more difficult. A lot more difficult, actually."

Adam was still flabbergasted. Blinking rapidly, he asked, "What are you saying?"

Duncan reached over and squeezed his knee. "I'm saying that…Adam, you know what happened the first time you turned into He-Man to help someone. You were with a group of people and had to run to change. You being scared and running away made sense, so when people said it, I didn't correct it. I simply said we should let you explain…but then you went along with it. I knew you would have problems when you made that choice, but I made another promise to the Sorceress that I never told you about."

He wrinkled his brow in question.

"You know you are constantly tested to see if you are worthy of the powers bestowed upon you. The Sorceress knew this would happen, so she wanted you to be able to come up with your own solutions and problem-solve. It's why she wanted you to figure out what your powers were on your own, as well. She told me to let you handle most of these things, so I did."

Adam placed his elbow on the table beside him and held his forehead with his hand as he leaned on it. "So…coming up with a way to protect my secret and handling other things like this was another test? I suppose I failed that one miserably or if I did pass, it wasn't by much."

"Not exactly," answered Duncan sadly as he avoided Adam's eyes by looking down at the table constantly. "It wasn't really a test from the Elders. The Sorceress had simply wanted to prepare you for the big responsibility you had suddenly received, so she made you responsible for those decisions. She wanted you to handle the consequences of your actions on your own whenever possible." Finally, he looked up at Adam. "Besides, you were eighteen when you received the Sword of Power. The things that occurred because of your cover story kept you grounded, in my opinion. You didn't let all of that power go to your head, because you had people…"

Adam interrupted him with a mumble. "Yeah, because I had people telling me how bad and disappointing I was constantly."

Duncan frowned. "I wasn't going to say that."

He shrugged, "But it's the truth." He stood and began to walk away.

"Adam!" Man-at-Arms stood up and went to his side quickly. He squeezed the prince's shoulder and said, "Look, Lad, I know things were hard on you and they still are at times, but…"

He shook his head. "I'm not mad at you, Duncan, or the Sorceress," he stated softly. "I understand why you did it. I just feel…disappointed? I don't know, but I think I have a right to feel that way."

Duncan nodded. "Yes, I suppose you do."

He nodded and began to ease himself away from Man-at-Arms as he continued to look at him. "Yeah, so I'm going to…uh, get ready for lunch. Oh, and I want to meet with Teela beforehand. Umm, I'm sure she will have news after meeting with my father." Without waiting for an answer, he turned around quickly and left the room. As soon as he shut the door, he leaned against it as a tear slipped down his cheek. He, then, wiped the incriminating evidence of his true feelings away hurriedly.

Unfortunately for him at that moment, Teela was walking by, probably on her way to look for him. She stared at him and gasped as she witnessed him wiping the tear away. "Adam?" she questioned. "What's wrong?"

He tried to smile at her. "Nothing," he answered. "I was just about to go look for you..."

He didn't get any further than that, because Teela snapped, "What did my father say to you? What happened?"

"Teela," Adam said with a shake of his head. "Nothing…"

She frowned and stated firmly, "No more secrets, Adam!" She didn't give him any time to respond. Instead, she spat, "Better yet, I'll find out from Father! He has a lot of explaining to do anyway!"

She stepped forward and reached her hand out to open the door to her father's workshop.

=)=)=)


	15. Insecurities and Desires

Teela's Visitor Chapter 15

His heart had lodged into his throat, because the last thing he wanted to deal with at that moment was a war between Teela and her father. Because his throat was so constricted by his emotions, he couldn't say anything to stop her. So, as she reached around him to open the door to Man-at-Arms' workshop, he slipped his arms around her tightly and hugged her. He then stepped forward several times as he dropped his head to her shoulder to make sure the door was out of reach.

"Adam!" she complained, but as he rested his head against her neck, she quieted, and he sighed in relief when he felt her wrap her arms around him in return. She rubbed his back comfortingly several times before she slipped a hand to his neck under his hair and massaged it lightly.

They stayed like that for several long moments, and he found himself smiling at the position he found himself in. The truth was he had spent a great portion of the morning hours in Teela's arms simply holding her, and he had managed to find his way back into them again. He realized with certainty that this was one of the few places he truly found peace and comfort; he wondered if he did the same for her. He wasn't sure, but his actions did silence her rather quickly.

He pulled his head back from her shoulder and chanced a small peek at her face. He didn't want his actions to give her permission to seek out her father again, and it didn't. Their eyes met as soon as he glanced at her and they became almost entranced by one another. He pulled back even farther slowly, and he felt Teela weave her fingers through his hair continuously at the nape of his neck.

"What's wrong, Adam?" she asked again softly. The look she gave him was one of a deep concern that tore at his heart. Her eyes shimmered brightly with sadness, and he knew the emotion was there simply because he felt that way. She didn't know what had upset him, but she was going to join him in that feeling, anyway.

He leaned his head downward and rested his forehead against hers. He felt truly grateful that she had decided to be his partner in every sense of the word, even though she hadn't actually said it aloud yet. But, it was implied by her actions and what little she did say. He tightened his hold on her as he lifted his head again to answer her. "I came to speak with Man-at-Arms about you learning my secret."

She didn't give any reaction—she simply continued to listen.

"I told him about…" He suddenly looked around and realized they were in the center of the hallway and that was no place for this particular conversation. "We can't discuss this here," he stated abruptly.

Teela stepped back and ran her eyes across his face, and her jaw tightened with determination. She leaned forward and tilted her head back in silent invitation.

Despite knowing that the hallway was no place for displays of affections between them either, he kissed her lightly anyway, and just as he closed his eyes and was about to slip his arms around her again, he suddenly found himself stumbling forward a little. She was no longer there.

He whipped around to see her storming into her father's workshop.

"Teela," he gasped and immediately followed her.

=)=)=)

" _I should have known she wouldn't play fair_ ," he chastised himself as ran inside the room. He knew Teela had deliberately offered him a kiss, so she could surprise him when she suddenly left. Her actions gave her just enough advantage to slip into the room without him stopping her. And, unfortunately for him, Man-at-Arms had seen both of them as soon as they stepped inside.

"Father!" said Teela as she quickly made her way to him. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him.

"Teela!" Adam cried as he ran to her side, hoping desperately that he would be able to stop the diatribe that was about to begin.

She ignored him and continued to glare at her father. With knitted brows and a scowl on her face, she questioned angrily, "What did you say to Adam?"

Man-at-Arms clearly didn't have a clue as to what was going on. Adam knew without trying to read his mind that Duncan had initially believed this was about what they had discussed earlier—he thought Teela was there to berate him for not helping the prince hide his secret better. Her question had clearly stumped him.

"I don't know what you mean," said Duncan as he arched an eyebrow at her. "And, I certainly don't like your tone, my daughter, so let's just calm down and you can tell me what this is all about."

She continued to simply stand there and her expression did not change. Instead of doing what her father had suggested, she spoke slowly and firmly, "You did something that upset Adam. He was crying in the hall after he left you and…"

Adam immediately shook his head and interjected, "Teela, I wasn't crying! I wiped a single tear away! I would hardly call that crying!"

She looked at him and snapped, "Regardless of whether it was a single tear or a thousand, Adam, my father said something that caused it and I want to know what it was!" She turned back to her father and spat, "I now know Adam's secret and I'm not going to let **you** or the Sorceress hurt him anymore!"

"Teela, the Sorceress and I have never set out to hurt Adam," replied Duncan; "Everything we have done was to support Adam's development and…"

She interrupted him and cried, "Father, I know you wouldn't hurt Adam deliberately, but doing **NOTHING** when Adam is hurting is just as bad! Can't you see that?" She shook her head and continued, "Adam has been bashed constantly by those he cares about while he carried the weight of the entire planet on his shoulders, and you let it happen! I might have once thought our criticism was okay when I believed Adam was goofing off and He-Man was a magical being from Castle Grayskull, but now that I know who they really are, it's not even remotely okay! And, don't you dare say that Adam can handle it! Maybe he can, but just like he stepped into that hall to cry **ALONE** after whatever you told him today, I'm sure he's done similar acts in the past when his name was dragged through the mud! He shouldn't have to do that by himself! He never should have been allowed to! He should have never been put in that situation in the first place!"

Tears gathered in her eyes and a few slipped down her cheeks as her father remained quiet. "Don't you dare make light of this," she continued, "and don't you dare act like you didn't do anything wrong! I already know your past transgressions, but what did you do today to add onto it?" She stared at him for a moment and then widened her eyes with a look of realization when he still didn't utter a word. "You don't even know, do you?" she asked. She looked at Adam for a moment and then back at her father. "You don't even know!"

She shook her head, turned around to grab Adam's hand, and said, "Let's go." She began to pull him from the room and they could both hear Duncan saying both their names, but Teela simply increased her speed and lugged Adam into the hallway.

They started to walk away as soon as the door shut. Adam spoke her name softly just as the workshop door opened again. Duncan stepped into the hall and called out, "I do know, Teela."

She hesitated for only a second before she turned the corner, taking Adam with her.

=)=)=)

He followed Teela as she led him quickly through the hallways. At first he didn't know where they were going. It had almost seemed like she was pulling him to the dining room since it was time for lunch, but that didn't make sense considering what had just happened. With a few unexpected turns, though, he finally realized they were on their way to their bedchambers.

When they arrived, Teela didn't hesitate about which room to go into. She opened his door and ordered, "Get in."

He glanced around to make sure no one was around and then walked inside. She followed him and locked the door immediately. He watched her with a raised brow and when she noticed his expression, she mumbled, "I don't want to talk to Father or anyone else right now, just you."

She took his hand in hers again and pulled him to the bed. She placed herself in the center of it and stretched herself out. She patted the spot beside her and said softly, "Come here."

He did as she requested. He slipped into the bed, wrapped an arm around her comfortingly, and pulled her to him so she could rest her head on his shoulder as she curled her body against him. As she draped an arm across his chest, he took her hand in his, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently.

After they rested their hands back on his chest, he questioned softly, "Are you okay?"

She laughed lightly and replied, "Of course, the question is 'Are you?'" She turned her head so her chin could rest on his shoulder and she could read his expression when he answered. Unfortunately for her, all he did was nod, so she rested her cheek on his shoulder again and asked, "What happened with my father today? I'm going to find out one way or another, so you might as well tell me."

He sighed. He knew she wouldn't give up until he told her, and as he had already told Man-at-Arms, he didn't want to keep anymore secrets from her anyway. He slowly began to rub his fingertips up and down her hand which was still lying across his chest and answered, "He told me your suspicions were right."

She immediately sat up and crossed her legs as she gave him her full attention. "Go on."

He shrugged. "He admitted exactly what you told me in the storage room earlier." He frowned and sat up himself. He swung his legs to the floor which turned his back to Teela. She quickly crawled to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Which part?" she questioned.

He huffed in faux amusement and replied, "All of it. He knew from the beginning that pretending to be a coward would cause all of these problems for me, but he purposely said nothing. He said the Sorceress wanted me to learn how to handle things on my own and to deal with the consequences of my actions." He paused for a moment. "I suppose I've learned my lesson quite well."

Teela tightened her hold on him and turned her head to his neck. She worked her face around his hair and kissed him just under his ear. She then whispered, "I think that's a pretty crummy lesson. I think they should have been showing you the benefits of teamwork instead." She quieted as she rested her head back on his shoulder for a short moment. "I'm so sorry, Adam."

He placed his right arm over hers and wove his fingers around hers. "What are you sorry for?"

"For everything," she answered. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you when I thought you were slacking off on your responsibilities. I'm sorry that my father and the Sorceress made poor choices and hurt you in the process. I'm also sorry that you had to deal with everything alone and I didn't even notice."

He smiled weakly and mumbled, "It's not your fault."

She moved her lips to the place where his shoulder and neck met and kissed it softly. "Some of it is, and I want you to know what I told my father back there is true, Adam. I'm not going to let them or anyone else hurt you ever again."

He laughed a little in honest humor this time and asked, "What? Are you going to be He-Man's protector and bodyguard now?" He turned his head towards her, which made him rub his cheek across the crown of her head lightly.

"Yes," she mumbled as she took advantage of his actions by slipping her head even more under his chin and brushing her lips lightly across as much of his collarbone as she could get to, despite the fact that most of it was hidden under his shirt. Eventually though, she was able to pull him back far enough that she could slip her upper torso around him and kiss and lick the skin at the hollow of his throat.

In response to her actions, he found himself moaning softly and falling back on the bed completely without any real conscious thought on his part. Teela took advantage by leaning her body against his and working her kisses up his neck. When their lips met, neither wasted any time opening their mouths and letting the other do as they wished.

Eventually, they pulled their lips apart and both said "I love you" simultaneously. Each grinned, but before either one could say anything more, they heard a knock at the door. They looked over and simply stared at it. Soon, they heard Man-at-Arms' voice.

"Adam, Teela, I know you're in there. I want to finish talking to you. I don't want to leave things as they were when you left. Please, let's talk this out."

She turned her attention to Adam and shook her head. He understood what she meant: she had already told him when they walked into his room that she didn't want to talk to anyone but him for right now, so he remained quiet until Man-at-Arms eventually walked away.

Once he was sure her father had left, he sat up and said, "You know we're going to have to face him in the near future again." He sighed at his own words.

"I know," she replied, "and we will, but for now my only concern is you. Are you sure you're okay? I know it had to be hard to hear that my father let you suffer intentionally."

He looked at her and answered honestly. "I don't know if that's the way I'd phrase what he and the Sorceress did, but I'll admit their actions did hurt a little. That's why I had to wipe that tear away when you saw me earlier—it stung."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly for a moment.

He looked at their hands and realized he didn't want to focus on all of that negativity. Yes, he had learned a few bad things today, but today was also the day Teela had learned the truth about him. That marked a major turn for the better in their relationship, and he didn't want anything to ruin that for them. So, instead of continuing with that discussion, he smiled at her and said, "Well, enough about that. I only want to focus on good things today. What do you say? Can we pick up where we left off **before** I went to see Man-at-Arms? We were happy about courting and getting to know one another better. Let's get back to that."

She smiled at him and responded, "That sounds good to me, and guess what, I have a bit of good news that will put us right back on track! That's actually why I was looking for you earlier when I saw you outside my father's lab."

"Great!" he replied enthusiastically. "What is it?"

She grabbed his hand and shared, "Your father is going to announce our courtship tomorrow." At Adam's widened eyes she added, "He and I agreed that it was the right time…if that's okay with you, that is."

He nodded joyously. "Of course that's okay with me! But…what about the Guard? What about you being captain?"

She continued to smile and stated, "As you know, when you sign up for the Royal Guard, you agree to so many years of service. I will still carry out my term, and I'll still be captain, at least until I move up the ranks, but…"

"But?"

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "But, my responsibilities have changed."

Worried that she might have given up a lot to be with him, he questioned, "How so?"

She shrugged. "I'll no longer be on the frontlines. I will still train our soldiers and do everything that I normally do around the palace, but when it comes to battle…I'll remain here and dictate what needs to be done via comlink. My lieutenant will take a more active role now—it'll be a promotion, of sorts, so that's good for him." She looked down at her hands and mumbled, "I think it's a decent compromise between me and your father."

He stared at her. He didn't like that she was now looking down and fiddling with her own hand. He was afraid it was a sign that she wasn't truly happy. He reached a hand out, grabbed her chin with his fingers gently, and forced her to look at him. "And, how do you feel about that?" he asked. "Is this what you really want?"

A look of surprise flittered across her face. "How can you even ask that, Adam? You know I want to be with you!"

He still had a hold of her chin and he held her there as he leaned forward to kiss her lips softly. He barely brushed his lips against hers in his attempt to be gentle. "I know, but I wasn't referring to us. I was referring to changing your duties. Will changing it in this way make you happy?"

Confidently, she nodded and answered resolutely, "Yes, this will allow us to be together, so it's what I want to do. I don't look at it as giving up anything. I look at it as gaining more time with you. After all, you're going to have your bodyguard around a lot more now." She winked at him.

He smiled and decided he wouldn't worry until she gave him reason to. He wasn't going to second guess her. "As long as you're sure," he whispered. "I don't want to be the cause of anything that makes you unhappy. We would find another way if you wanted to."

She shook her head and replied, "No, this is a good compromise, Adam. It's better than what I had hoped for actually, so I can live with it. And, like I said, I'm gaining so much more than I'm losing." She then stood and placed herself on his lap sideways. She kissed him forcibly, running her tongue across his lips before doing the same with his teeth. When they pulled away, she gave him a few softer, innocent kisses before asking, "So, I guess that means we can tell your father at dinner that it's okay to make the public announcement during court tomorrow, right?"

When he nodded, she leaned her head on his shoulder and questioned almost hesitantly, "How do you think everyone is going to react?"

He held her tightly and kissed her forehead. "I think our family and friends will be elated," he informed her.

"What about the courtiers?"

He pulled back a little and frowned slightly. He had come to realize with all of their recent talks that since they were children, Teela had compared herself to the courtiers and girls of nobility and had found herself wanting. He hated the thought. "Teela, I already told you not to worry about the courtiers," he whispered. "I don't care what they think or say. Yes, some are going to say awful things behind our backs. That's just the way it is when you're in the public eye the way I am. There's no pleasing everyone, and I don't mean to sound egotistical, but their comments will mainly spawn from their jealousy. There will be a lot of women who are going to wish that they were you tomorrow and a lot of men who are going to wish that they were me."

"I doubt that last part," she muttered.

He exclaimed almost angrily, "Why?" He stood and pulled Teela to a full body length mirror across the room. He stayed behind her and wrapped his arms around her. With his mouth at her ear, he said, "Look at yourself, Teela! You're a beautiful, sexy lady!" He rubbed his hands from her stomach to her hips. He kept them there and kissed her neck softly before meeting in her eyes through the mirror. "Not only are you the prettiest girl in the room during court, you're also the most intelligent, kindest, and giving woman there. I am far luckier than you are when it comes to this relationship, trust me. You're my one in five billion, Teela." He slipped his arms completely around her again. "And, no opinion of some smug courtier is going to change any of that. You're not inferior because they're nobility and you're not, so stop believing it." He then grinned mischievously and added, "Besides, you'll be nobility soon enough and then they'll be sucking up to you to be your best friend."

"Oh, Ancients," she said with a roll of her eyes as she chuckled a little. "Did you have to tell me that?"

Adam laughed a little and kissed her cheek. When their eyes met in the mirror again, the world seemed to fade away. Their smiles disintegrated and they simply gazed at one another. Eventually, Teela turned around in his arms slowly and wrapped her arms around his waist as he continued to hold her. She leaned forward and kissed the visible skin above his shirt. She lingered there for a moment with her lips before mumbling against his chest, "Make love to me, Adam." He gasped and closed his eyes as she nipped at his neck with her teeth and ran her hands up and down his back.

He moaned as her actions sent shots of pleasure throughout his body. He leaned his head back in ecstasy to allow her easier access to his neck, but despite this, his mind was going crazy with questions:

Is she serious? Are we ready? Why does she want to make love now? Is it because she feels insecure or does she simply want to express our love? Does she really want me as badly as I want her?

He brought his head down and stared deeply into her eyes as he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. She looked so sure and so confident that this was what she wanted.

He made his decision and moved in to kiss her deeply.


	16. His Decision

Teela's Visitor Chapter 16

He wanted her. The Ancients knew how much he wanted her. And, at that moment, he knew there wasn't much to stop them. She wanted him, or at least she said she did. He knew there was no reason to doubt her. Teela had always been a person to state exactly what was on her mind…

And right now, she wanted to make love.

Kissing her deeply, his mind was already shooting him ideas of what they _could_ be doing instead of what they were doing. He moaned into her mouth a little as he imagined touching her bare skin in places that he had denied himself since they made their love, wants, and desires known to one another. The main thing that had stopped him at that time had been the fact that she didn't know his secret—he couldn't imagine taking advantage of her like that. To make love to one person and then discover he was someone else…that would have been a betrayal.

But she knew now.

Pulling his lips from hers, he stared into her eyes deeply. "Are you sure?" he asked, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek. "This is a pretty big step."

"Yes," she answered without hesitation or looking away from his intense stare.

Smiling, he pulled her into his arms again and held her tightly as he twisted their torsos together playfully. He kissed her forehead and then gazed into her eyes one more time. "Okay," he agreed softly. "We'll make love."

She grinned immediately and took his hand in hers, but as she started to tug him towards the bed, he said one word that stopped her cold. "But..."

"But?" she questioned worriedly.

He could see the fear in her eyes. She obviously had no idea what he was going to say. Maybe she thought he was going to request something atypical from her? He wasn't sure. He leaned down and kissed her gently to calm her. He brought both of his hands to her shoulders and rubbed up and down her arms comfortingly to tell her without words that everything would be okay.

"We'll make love _tonight_ ," he whispered, putting emphasis on his final word, and she immediately frowned.

"Adam!" she complained. He had expected as much. "Why do you keep putting this off? What's holding us back now?" Her face reddened as she questioned him—it looked like she was ten seconds away from one of her infamous Teela tirades.

Quickly, he grabbed and kissed her hand gently to postpone her reaction and answered, "Nothing, really. It's just that…well, it's the middle of the day and my father is expecting us for lunch. Undoubtedly with your meeting earlier, he is expecting us to tell him whether it is or isn't okay to announce our courtship." He shrugged. "I, for one, do not want my father interrupting us while we're making love for the first time if we don't show up. I want everything to be perfect, so that means not rushing through it to make sure we don't get caught." He blushed a little and added, "This is something I want to last. I'd also like to make this special for you: prepare a little…give you a little romance before we take that next step."

She laughed a little and replied, "Just being with you will make it special, Adam. Sharing ourselves for the first time with one another will be unbelievable in and of itself."

"And, I want to make it even better," he insisted; "And, again, with no parents interrupting!" He kissed her once more chastely and whispered, "The likelihood of that occurring at this time of day is great. Besides, waiting until tonight will give us plenty of time with one another to get used to the idea and talk about any insecurities we might have…It will also give us the opportunity to change our minds, if need be."

When a glare that was almost sinister appeared on her face, he held his hands up and clarified hurriedly, "I won't change my mind! I just meant you would have time to change _your_ mind if you decided you really didn't want to do this!"

At his frantic words, she blinked at him for a few seconds and then backed away with a nervous laugh. "Oh, Ancients, I can only imagine what you're thinking right now," she mumbled. She seemed a little embarrassed with the quick downturn of her eyes. "I'm being so pushy and forward, aren't I? That's not exactly ladylike behavior, especially in manners like this."

He immediately bent his head to catch her eyes. When he finally did, he stated firmly, "I'm glad that you're now comfortable enough with me that you're willing to tell me exactly what you want in this area. It's actually what I expected from you, Teela. When it comes to other subjects, you have always been bossy and vocal about what you want. Why should it be any different in this case?" He paused to rake his eyes down and up her body. Getting quieter, he whispered in her ear, "Besides, it's a _major turn-on_. You have no idea how badly I do want you right now, but I'm trying my best to maintain common sense and do right by you."

She gasped almost immediately. Undoubtedly, she was surprised at his words. This was the first time he had said anything provocative and blatantly ungentlemanly to her aside from stating that wanted her. He couldn't help his word choice, though—it was the truth, plain and simple.

To prove his point, he proceeded to kiss her and he wasn't gentle like he had been before. This time, he wanted her to know the fire she had ignited within him so she wouldn't doubt his words or the pull she had on him. He almost devoured her mouth with his and they moved their lips so frantically that they had to pant and fight to get any air into their lungs. As he started to get carried away and rake his hand down her body, he pulled himself away roughly.

"Do you see what you do to me?" he questioned with a purposely delicious guttural voice that was a bit raspy from desire.

She nodded with a smile suddenly erupting on her face and her green eyes shining at him brilliantly.

He grinned back and asked softly, "Okay, so lunch now, talk later, and make love tonight, right?" He put his arms around her again and waited for an answer.

"Sounds like a plan to me," she whispered, kissing him once more before grabbing his hand and pulling him to the door.

=)=)=)

He was glad he had gotten Teela to postpone their…joining until that night. He knew if she had held out and argued with him for just a little bit longer, he might have given in. What he had told her earlier was true, though. He did want to do right by her. He wanted to make sure she didn't want to make love at that very moment because she felt guilty about how she and everyone else had treated him for the last two years. He also wanted to make sure that she wouldn't feel guilty about not waiting for marriage. Not to mention, he wanted to make sure he wooed her properly and not have their first time be some frantic gathering of hormones.

He planned to bring up all these topics and more before sunset. He was determined to spend most of the day with her to make sure that this was what they both wanted.

He felt Teela bump his side a little as they walked towards the dining room together. "I can see the wheels turning," she teased. "What are you thinking about?"

"Us, of course," he answered softly. "I was thinking about what we would discuss after lunch, as well as what I would do to…" He coughed a little. "…prepare for tonight."

He was surprised when she let go of his hand but quickly calmed when she wrapped their arms together instead and leaned on him as they continued to walk. "So, you're planning on sweeping me off my feet, huh?"

"You got it," he replied cheerfully.

She chuckled as they stepped into the dining room without further comment. He was sure neither of them wanted to share their topic of conversation with the room's occupants, and that's exactly what would happen if they continued with their line of talk. He felt Teela tense beside him and he glanced at her as they approached the table.

She was casting a steely glare to the back of her father's head. Of course. She was still angry with her father despite the fact that they had managed to distract themselves from what Duncan and the Sorceress had done. With a sigh, he tried to lead Teela over to her usual seat beside Man-at-Arms, but she pushed heavily on him to stop him from going in that direction.

"Your side," he heard her mumble softly, so he walked her to his side of the table and watched and listened as Teela approached Orko who was floating in the air as usual. "Do you mind if I sit in your seat today?" she asked quietly. Orko rarely used his seat anyway, but he always hovered in that general area unless he was performing magic or zipping across the table to hand someone a dish they couldn't reach.

Orko seemed perplexed for a moment and then replied loudly, "Sure, Teela. You can have my seat, but why do you want it?"

He couldn't help but grin at the Trollan. He pulled him close to his side and whispered, "Remember, Teela and I are courting now, Little Buddy. She simply wants to sit by me today." He didn't think telling him that she didn't want to sit by her father would be wise.

"Oh, yeah, Prince Adam! I've been meaning to tell you something about that!" the jester exclaimed.

"What is it, Orko?"

After a brief pause, he shouted gleefully, "It's about time!" He began to clap spiritedly and another hand came out of his hat and started throwing confetti everywhere.

He gaped at his little friend, and Teela joined him in the action. "What?" they both gasped simultaneously.

Orko waved all of his hands, including the one in his hat, almost dismissively, like everyone knew what he was about to say. "You two have always liked each other. Everyone knows that." He floated to his seat next to Man-at-Arms.

Adam shook his head and laughed a little as he pulled out the chair for Teela. When she sat, he looked at his parents and said jokingly, "Well, if everyone knew, I sure wish someone would have told us."

"Figuring it out is half the fun, son," his father replied as his mother laughed.

Adam raised his brow and questioned, "You knew? I mean…you knew for a while?"

Randor smiled and winked. "I did have my suspicions when you turned thirteen, but your mother was certain. She first suspected it when you were five. You two had a play date together when you were that age and she swore after she gave Teela back to Man-at-Arms that you had already found your first little girlfriend."

Adam and Teela immediately blushed at the story. He turned to her and whispered, "Well, I'm sorry it took so long to tell you."

She placed her hand in his and replied, "Hey, it took me just as long to tell you, so no apologies. I think it happened exactly the way it was supposed to."

They grinned at one another for a moment before he turned his attention back to his parents. "So, what's for lunch?"

"Cringer wanted fish," the queen gestured towards the tiger in the corner of the room who looked mighty pleased with himself.

"Ah, so you're responsible for our choice today. Why am I not surprised?" he said to the cat. He reached his hand out and immediately Cringer got up, stretched out his limbs, and walked over lazily. The prince pushed back his chair and bent so he could scratch and pet the tiger a lot easier. He got near his ear and whispered, "And, where have you been? You sure have been making yourself scarce a lot."

The feline glanced over at Teela and whispered back, "I—I thought you two might want some time alone."

"Yeah, well, I have to talk to you about that sometime soon, before nightfall," he informed him. "It's important."

"Okay, Adam," Cringer replied as his master sat back up and he walked back to his cushion in the corner.

"What was that all about?" Teela asked shortly thereafter.

He leaned as closely as he could get to her and whispered in her ear as softly as possible. He definitely didn't want anyone else present to hear his words even though he knew Orko would be able to if he focused in on it. He watched the Trollan to gauge his reaction as he whispered, "I told him we needed to talk before sunset. I rather suspect you don't want Cringer in the room when we…you know."

"Oh!" she exclaimed pulling back. "You're…you're right!"

Everyone looked at them questioningly, and he merely shrugged as he continued to watch Orko. It didn't seem like he had heard his words, but he was almost tempted to listen to Orko's thoughts to make sure. He was hesitant, though, because Orko was a magician and he wasn't certain if that would enable him to feel his presence in his mind or not. If Orko did, it would be hard to explain the ability and why he did it in front of his parents, so he decided to trust his normal senses. With that out of the way, he then turned to his parents and explained away Teela's words by stating, "Teela and I discussed your desire to announce our courtship tomorrow. I told her that we should tell you now to get it over with."

She nodded in agreement.

"And, what is your decision?" the king asked.

He nodded. "Yes, you can go ahead and make the official announcement. Do you expect there to be any problems?"

Randor shook his head and said, "No, not really aside from disappointed kings and princesses. I know a few who had their eyes on you and were actually talking to me about setting up a meeting."

He widened his eyes. "Meeting? You mean, like a date?"

The king nodded.

He immediately shook his head and turned to Teela. "Let's thank the Ancients we got our heads on straight, because _that_ would have been embarrassing."

"That's the way most royalty do it, son," he heard his father say.

He grinned mischievously and motioned towards his mother with his head. "Not in this family," he stated proudly.

Randor laughed and agreed, "No, not in this family…BUT there are some things we're going to do the traditional way."

With a sigh, he noticed that his father had grown serious in that short period of time. Instead of smiling and laughing now, the king looked like he was poised to give a speech. His face held a blank expression and his voice had a stern edge to it that stated clearly that he would not be disobeyed. Adam knew it well.

"Yes, Father?" he asked warily.

"I expect Teela and you to adhere to the rules of courting," the king stated firmly.

"I already know this, Father. You've already told me," he said softly. "Teela and I have already discussed it—we're willing to follow tradition no matter how antiquated it is."

The king smiled and replied, "Well, good. So, now that I'm making the public announcement tomorrow, you need to have your first outing planned as well. The news will spread like wildfire and the people will want to catch a glimpse of you two together. Instead of them hanging around outside the palace, I'd rather…"

"Parade us out to them?" he questioned.

"That's not how I was going to word it, but yes."

He shook his head and glanced over at Teela. She didn't seem annoyed; instead, she seemed amused. "Do you have any idea what you want to do first or when?"

She shrugged and admitted, "I don't know all of our options. It's not like I'm royalty to know." She paused with a grin and then asked, "Is there a book somewhere that I can read?"

He could tell she was joking when she questioned if there was a book. Running his fingers through his hair, feeling slightly embarrassed, he nodded. "Actually, yes, there is."

"Oh!" she exclaimed with wide eyes. "Well, I don't need…that right now. Whatever you decide will be fine."

He nodded and looked at his father. "Not tomorrow but the day after. You will make your announcement and we'll show our faces in Eternos the next day." He glanced at Teela briefly and said, "We might as well get the chaperoned carriage ride out of the way."

The king nodded and informed them, "That's the one I would have suggested for your first outing, as well. I'll set everything up for you."

"Are you sure you don't want me to, Father? I feel like it should be me since it's for Teela and myself."

"Nonsense, setting up the outings is the king's job. After all, I'm supposed to be protecting my son's reputation, virtue, and things of that nature."

Heat immediately rose to his ears at the mention of "protecting his virtue." He knew his skin had to be blazing when he realized tonight would make the king's job pointless. Of course, his father probably already thought Teela and he had slept together, so the king already knew it was pointless. Still, they had to keep up pretences.

"Uh, y-yes," he stammered. "You can set it up."

At that moment, the servers came out with their food and drinks. Almost no one seemed to notice that Teela and Adam weren't talking to Man-at-Arms, but Adam could tell from the looks Duncan was giving them that he knew and it was bothering the soldier.

=)=)=)

As soon as lunch was finished, Adam and Teela excused themselves saying they had much to discuss before tomorrow and the following day. As soon as they left the room, they heard a chair scooting out behind them and Adam knew instantly that Man-at-Arms would be out there with them in a matter of moments.

Teela obviously thought the same thing, because she took his hand and said, "Come on. Let's go."

By the time they were a quarter of the hall away from the dining room, they heard footsteps and Duncan calling out to them. "Adam! Teela! Please wait up!"

He felt Teela tighten her hand around his and he stated calmly, "We're going to have to face this sooner or later. We might as well get it over with."

She glared at him for a second and then pivoted abruptly to face her father. "I'm not going to let you ruin this day for us!" she spat as Duncan finished walking up to them. "Just say what you want to say so we can leave!"

"Sweetheart, please, I'm sorry…" Man-at-Arms began.

She widened her eyes and her skin turned almost bloodshot red. " **You** shouldn't be begging and apologizing to **me**! You should be speaking to **him**!" she shouted as she pointed to Adam.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she continued to glare at her father and shushed her. "Shhh, Teela. We're in the middle of the hallway. We don't want to cause a scene."

"And, why not?" she asked abruptly. "He's practically been the one responsible for your embarrassment for the last two years, maybe he'd love to have the favor returned." She looked back at Duncan. "What do you say, Father? That sounds pretty reasonable to me!"

"It does sound fair, but let's not do it in this way, my daughter," he beseeched.

"And, again I ask, 'Why not?'"

At that moment, Adam kissed her on her temple and mumbled, "Because this concerns my secret and I don't want you to out me in the middle of the palace. That will have dire consequences, I'm afraid."

Suddenly looking at him worriedly, she gasped and said, "Oh, Adam! I'm so sorry! Here I am trying to help you and I'm about to make things worse."

"It's all right," he whispered as he pulled her into his arms. "Just calm down and we'll find some place where we can talk about this calmly and rationally."

"May I suggest my workshop?" Duncan suggested as he gestured with his hands down the hall. "It's soundproof when I have the door shut."

"That's fine," he replied as he pulled Teela along and they followed Man-at-Arms. As soon as they walked into the room, she pulled away from him, crossed her arms against her chest, and demanded, "Tell us what you have to say."

"Teela," he began but stopped when she glared at him almost irately. He shifted eyes to Adam hurriedly and said, "Adam, I am truly sorry. I'm not saying that because Teela's angry with me. The truth is I have felt horrible since this all began, but…like you, I've had to follow the Sorceress' orders."

A gasp was heard and both men turned to Teela. She looked like she was finally realizing something for the first time and she exclaimed, "Of course, this is more **her** fault than yours! Oh, I can't wait to see and tell her exactly what I think of her and her orders! She…"

"Teela," Duncan started again.

She turned to him and spat, "But don't think that means I'm letting you off the hook! You should have known better than to agree to it! You took an oath to protect the Royal Family and I know you must have made that promise before any that you had given her. The Sorceress is NOT more important than Adam. I don't care who she is! She didn't have the right to dictate Adam's life in such a way and you…"

"We did what we thought would protect Adam more in the long run," interjected Man-at-Arms. "And, Teela, Adam is not the only one who has suffered over the years. The Sorceress has given up far more than you know…she sits in that castle alone with no family around her, so she can help He-Man protect the planet. She does what she thinks is right. She's proven that."

She paused for a moment. Adam could see the pity in her eyes, but she quickly recovered herself and stated, "If she's given up so much, then she shouldn't have asked Adam to give up so much! If she cared about him, she would have done what she could to prevent that pain! She would have found another way!"

"Sometimes doing what's best for the ones you love is painful to you and them," responded Man-at-Arms softly. He said it so sadly that Teela paused.

She looked at Adam questioningly and then walked up to her father. "I'm sorry that the Sorceress has had it so rough, but there's nothing we can do about that, I suspect. But we _can_ do something about Adam. You and the Sorceress need to come up with a better way to hide Adam's secret. I've told you once and I'll say it again. I'm not going to stand idly by like you and watch him continue to hurt himself in this manner. You two put him in this situation, so you can come up with a way to fix it."

When Man-at-Arms nodded, she replied with an edge still to her voice, "Good. Well, Adam and I need to go discuss some things to prepare for…tomorrow and our debut in public. We'll let you figure things out and we'll talk about them later when you and the Sorceress have come up with something."

As Teela pulled on Adam and they started to step out of the room, they paused when they heard Man-at-Arms say, "Despite everything, I'm very pleased and proud that you two have finally found one another. I look forward to the announcement tomorrow to make it official."

They nodded at him briefly and without any more discussion, Teela walked out of the room. Adam mumbled a thanks, stepped out, and shut the door behind him. "Well, that went better than anticipated in some ways," he noted as they walked down the hall.

She huffed and said softly but playfully, "Part of it is because I wanted to hurry and get you alone, Your Highness, to discuss tomorrow, our outing, and _tonight_." She said the final word seductively and he couldn't help but grin at her as they made their way through the halls. Other people were in the corridors at that moment, and while it wasn't uncommon to see them together, he knew he couldn't take her into his arms like he wanted to until they got back in his bedchambers unobserved.

He couldn't wait…for that or tonight. Nerves were starting to creep their way into his consciousness, but he knew that was to be expected. Instead of focusing on them, though, he mentally began to prepare what he needed to say and do before they finally made love.

=)=)=)


	17. The Talk

Teela's Visitor Chapter 17

The walk back to their bedchambers was made in silence after Teela had told him she wanted to be alone to talk about tonight and the following days. He was trying very hard to focus on what he was going to say to her and how he was going to prepare for the evening, but his mind wouldn't cooperate. Instead, he felt as if he were turning into a massive ball of nerves despite how confidently he had spoken to Teela about all of this earlier.

It truly was a big step for the both of them. He was twenty, and she was twenty-one. Despite all of the expectations and flirtations of others throughout their lives, they had both managed to remain celibate into their adulthood years. He knew a lot of guys would laugh at him if they knew that fact with any certainty, and he also knew they would view Teela as a mere conquest to overcome. In fact, he knew some men already viewed her that way since she rarely dated, but she never gave any of them the time of day.

That made him think about himself. " _What's so special about me_?" he asked silently. It was truly amazing that someone as beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate as Teela had managed to save herself for so long and actually wanted to give that up and…be with _him_. He truly didn't understand it, and that's why he was glad they had time to discuss everything beforehand. He wanted to make sure this was what they wanted and that they were doing it for all the right reasons. He didn't want either one of them to regret it because they had simply let their hormones overrule their common sense…

When they finally turned onto the corridor that contained their rooms, he felt Teela slip her hand into his. "Do you want to come to my room? We haven't been there in a while."

"Sure," he answered. Soon, he opened her door and motioned with his hand for her to go inside first. As usual, he gave a cursory glance throughout the corridor to make sure he was unobserved going into her bedchamber. Once he was inside, he shut the door and locked it. Thanks to the constant interruptions, locks and he had become best friends. He grinned at the thought.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked as she sat on a couch across the room and observed him from afar.

"Oh, nothing. I was just amused that I'm now in the habit of locking doors."

She laughed a little and said, "Yes, well, our parents have taught us that lesson rather well recently, haven't they?"

He nodded and slowly made his way over to the couch to join her. He sat beside her and agreed, "Yes, they have, and it was good to learn it then and not later."

"Most definitely."

They drifted into silence for a moment before she stated, "So, you said earlier that you wanted to talk…" She let the statement hang in the air like it was some kind of obligation he had promised to her, and actually it was.

He took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, I think we should talk about tonight and our future. We need to…make sure we're on the same page with everything and that we're sure about our recent decisions. I'd like to talk about any worries or insecurities about tonight, tomorrow, and our public outing. I want to talk about whatever is on your mind and I want to share what's on mine."

She smiled as she brought her left leg up onto the couch and shifted to face him. He turned to face her, as well. "Okay," she whispered slowly. "We can do that. You first."

He chuckled nervously and complained, "I had a feeling you were going to say that."

"You know me well." She smiled innocently and fluttered her eyes at him playfully.

He couldn't scowl at her if he tried. He grinned for a few moments before he took a deep breath and decided on his first topic. "I guess we should discuss the bigger issue first: tonight."

She simply nodded.

Adam reached out, took her hand in his, and intertwined their fingers. "I'm just going to be honest here, Teela. I love you and I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I've known that for years. I have also wanted to make love to you for a very long time…" He paused as he watched her suddenly grin at him. She opened her mouth to reply, but he quickly brought a finger to her lips. "Please, let me finish, so I don't get sidetracked or forget anything." When she nodded, he continued, "I am a man, so you must believe me when I say it has been very difficult not to take things further than we have…especially when you show me that you have those same desires. It's like a dream. But because I love you, I don't want to see us make a mistake."

"Why would expressing our love be a mistake?" she whispered.

He sighed, thinking about his earlier thoughts. "We've both managed to avoid temptations our entire lives. I know you've had propositions just like I have, and yet, we didn't do it. I don't know your reasons for sure, but for me, it was a combination of things. First, I knew since I was very young that I wanted to be with you, so I couldn't imagine myself being with anyone else. Have girls tempted me? Yes…but believe me, none have tempted me the way you have." He grinned as she blushed. "Also, I've been raised to wait for marriage."

He watched as Teela held his gaze unblinkingly. He wasn't sure but she looked a little worried. He almost reached into her mind to find out why instinctively, but he stopped himself. He wanted this to be a conversation. He didn't want to take her thoughts without her permission. Instead, he continued what he had to say and studied her eyes for her reactions.

"Despite my mother and father giving me condoms, they would very much prefer that I wait for marriage, but they aren't naïve, especially since…" He drifted off. He squeezed her hand and whispered, "You have to promise you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise and then whispered, "I promise."

He looked at the door conspiratorially, almost as if he suspected that someone was on the other side, trying to listen. Then, he met her eyes again and said softly, "Mother and Father didn't wait until marriage."

She gasped.

He shook his head. "Yeah, I know, and I believe me, I didn't want that information, but Father shared it nonetheless. My point is they know the temptations, so they wanted us to be prepared if we do make that decision. That's why they gave me the condoms." He looked down at his lap for a moment. "Making love is a huge deal, Teela. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. I've been raised to believe that giving your spouse your…well, **you** , to put it bluntly, is a gift and that gift always belonged to him or her before you even met. Your wedding night is supposed to be special for that very reason—you saved yourself for the other, and in a world where so many people have given into the temptation with random people they were not destined to be with…that's a pretty big deal."

He felt Teela tighten her hand around his. She held her other hand to his cheek and said hurriedly, "Adam, if you feel this way, we don't have to make love. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to pressure you."

He chuckled and shook his head. He grabbed the hand against his cheek and held it in place as he turned his lips to her palm, nuzzled it gently, and kissed it. At her gasp, he informed her, "I'm not saying I don't want to make love. What I'm saying is that I want to be sure of what we both want for the future. I plan on marrying you one day, Teela, so if we make love tonight, technically, we won't be doing anything wrong because I belong to you already…but that's only if you feel the same way and have that same level of commitment."

She gasped again. "Adam, are you asking me to marry you?"

He widened his eyes and then laughed loudly. "I suppose I am, but not in the official sense. There is no way the people or my parents would let us get away with such an early engagement. There are protocols and steps to follow with our courtship before I can officially ask you…but I do want to know what your intentions are. Do you want to marry me? Do you see us having a future together?" He paused. "Do you feel that you belong to me?" He shook his head. "I know that sounds archaic, but you know what I mean."

She nodded and felt tears gathering in her eyes.

"Teela?" he questioned worriedly.

Leaning in, she kissed his lips softly and as she pulled away, she replied, "Adam, I've given up going to battle to be with you. I'm wearing dresses again and I'm willingly following the rules of courtship to be with you." She brushed her fingers across his cheek softly. "I do feel as though I belong to you, and of course, I want to marry you. I know I haven't said that as bluntly as you have over the last couple of days, but surely, you knew."

He hugged her to him and whispered in her ear. "Yes, I did, but I needed to hear you say it."

They held each other for several long minutes before Teela asked, "Is there anything else to discuss on this topic?"

He pulled back and nodded. "If we do make love, we'll need to be very discreet. The people expect their prince and future princess to be pure until marriage. Everyone knows the opposite happens most of the time, but the appearance needs to be there." When she nodded her agreement, he bit his lip for a moment and then said, "There's something else I need to know before we take this step."

She arched her eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

He looked down at his lap and asked softly, "Why me? Why, out of all the guys on this planet, do you want to share yourself and be with me? I'm…nothing special aside from my being a prince." He paused. "And, well, being He-Man. But when you take those facts away, I'm just a normal guy, no different from the rest, so why? You've saved yourself for so long. Why do you want to be with me?"

Immediately, she stood in front of him for a moment and then straddled his legs as she sat down on his lap. He smiled at her briefly and placed his hands on her bare hips, but she didn't let him say anything. Instead, she said quickly, "Adam, I love you. That's why I want to be with you. That's why I want to make love with you. You are so much more than a prince or even He-Man." She kissed him softly once more before continuing. "There is no one on this planet that has a bigger heart than you. I have no doubt in my mind that's why you were chosen to be He-Man. You see the good in everyone and you care about everyone. You go out of your way to be kind to people, more so than your father, who is extraordinarily gifted in that department. You strive to help everyone in any way that you can. You value life in the noblest way—you don't want to see anyone, good or evil, killed. You're always willing to give a person a second chance to mend their ways. You're always willing to listen. You're compassionate. You're funny and extremely intelligent. You are…simply everything I want in a man. Do I need to go on?"

They stared at each other for several long moments. Adam wanted her so very badly at that moment that he knew he had to distract himself. Humor was the best option.

"You can," he answered with a devious grin. "After all, I don't have my horn tooted often enough." He laughed after stating those words but stopped when he noticed she didn't join in. "Teela?"

Tears illuminated her eyes and she cried, "No, you don't, and I'm so sorry for that!"

He quickly shook his head and exclaimed, "I was just playing! I don't need anyone to brag on me! I have never wanted that!"

"Another reason why you're so amazing," she whispered, looking deeply into his eyes, as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

He immediately brought a hand up and wiped the tears away from her skin softly. He stared at her intently and mumbled, "Please don't cry, Teela. I can't stand it."

She composed herself as best as she could and whispered, "Sorry."

After a few more moments, he decided to get them back on track and asked softly, "So, why have you saved yourself for so long?"

She blushed and grinned a little. Averting her eyes to the wall behind him, she answered, "My father taught me to wait for marriage, too, but that's not the reason. Not really. I just wanted it to happen with the right guy, and for quite some time, I thought that person was you. I was just too afraid to tell you, because I feared you wouldn't love or want me like I do you." He opened his mouth to assure her of his feelings, but she quickly took advantage of his response by kissing him and exploring his mouth with her tongue extensively. When they finally pulled their lips apart, she stated lovingly, "I'm so glad that you do."

He grinned, brought his lips to her neck, and licked and nipped at the skin just below her ear. She moaned and held onto him tightly. "I want you so badly," she whispered.

He stroked her hips softly and asked, "So, you have no doubts in your mind that I'm the one?"

"None."

He raked his hands up her waist and back to her hips several times and continued to ask questions. "What about tonight? Do you have any fears?"

She looked to the couch for a moment before he brought a hand to her chin and made her look at him again. "Maybe a few," she admitted.

"Tell me," he told her firmly.

She swallowed noticeably and shared, "I'm nervous about the actual act."

He nodded. He was afraid of that, too.

"I don't really know what I'm doing. What if I don't please you? What if I lose your interest once you get me? What if it…hurts?" She tried to look away, but he wouldn't let her. He still held onto her chin.

"You don't have to worry about losing my interest," he answered confidently. "That will never happen, Teela. I can promise you that. I love you and that in and of itself will always make me come back for more." He kissed her forehead comfortingly and whispered, "I worry about pleasing you, too. I don't know what to do either. I mean, I know kind of, but…it's still a little daunting, especially when I want things to be perfect." He took a deep breath and said even softer, "And, I definitely don't want to hurt you, but since you're a...what you are, we know that's a possibility. We already know I'm going to…" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and breathed deeply. "If we make love, I promise I'll be as gentle as possible."

She leaned over and kissed him chastely. "I know you will be. I've always known that," she replied. "And, by the way, it's not 'if,' it's 'when.'"

He nodded, chuckled a little, and repeated the appropriate word, "When." After a few more seconds of contemplation, he spoke up again. "You know, Teela, I honestly think we need to handle this differently."

When she looked at him questioning, he explained. "Instead of saying that we're definitely going to make love tonight, why don't we just get together and see where it leads? I don't want to obligate you into doing something. I want you to know you can change your mind and that I only want to do this if it feels like the right time. After all, we won't know that for sure until the moment actually arrives and we're…in that situation. What do you think? Does that sound like a good plan?"

She nodded. "Yes, it does," she agreed, "even though I'm sure it's going to happen."

He grinned and pulled her back into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder as she wiggled her arms behind his back and held onto him. "I love you," she mumbled.

"I love you," he repeated.

Eventually, though, Teela finally brought up a topic of her own. She spoke softly under his chin as she continued to rest her head on him. "I know you keep saying that the royal way of courting is antiquated, but I'm curious…are you looking forward to it?"

He shifted his head a little trying to catch a glimpse of her face, but he couldn't, thanks to her position. "Honestly…yes," he admitted. "But don't get me wrong, I'm excited because I'll be with you. It wouldn't matter if we were courting this way or the way commoners do really. I'm just glad things will be official tomorrow. Every man will finally know that you're mine, and we won't have to hide our feelings in public quite so much anymore. I'll be able to hold your hand in the halls without worrying about someone seeing us. That's definitely worth all the hoopla."

She laughed and asked, "So, there's actually a rulebook for courting, huh?" She was obviously thinking back on his earlier revelation when she had jokingly asked if there were one.

"Yes," he answered and then leaned forward. "Get up for a second."

When she did, he stood, turned around, and pushed her lightly back to the couch. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she called out as she watched him walk across the room towards the door.

He turned back, smiled, and replied, "I'm going to go get that book from my room." He then proceeded to slowly stick his head into the hall and look around before leaving. It took about a minute to get to his room and back.

When he opened the door again, he noticed Teela was no longer on the couch. Instead, she was lying down on top of her bed. "Comfy?" he asked as he approached her.

She stretched and hummed a little before saying, "Yes, very."

He sat down on the bed and stretched out beside her. He propped his head up on his hand as he faced her and placed the book beside her. "You can have this. It's one of the books I had to study as a child, so I don't really need it. I might come over to reference something once in a while, but other than that, I think it would be more beneficial for you to have it. You can look over the outing options and see what you want to do. You might want to look at the protocols of each date before we actually do them, as well. It's up to you, though. I obviously know enough that you can wing it."

She smiled and picked up the book. "I want it and I'll look over it," she answered. "If I'm going to court the crown prince, I need to do it right." She looked at the cover and was surprised to see no fancy emblems or design covering it. It was simply a purple book cover with the words The Art of Courtly Love written in gold across it. She flipped it to the table of contents and immediately laughed. "Oh, Ancients!" she exclaimed as she dropped the book to her chest.

"What?" he questioned amusedly. In that book, there was a lot to laugh at, so he wondered what she had noticed right away."

She grinned at him, picked the book back up, and pointed to the name of the first chapter: "Chastity." He quickly laughed as well, seeing the irony of it all, considering their earlier conversation and what they might be doing later.

"We're already contemplating breaking the rules!" she whispered conspiratorially with a few chuckles.

He grinned and shrugged. He had a feeling he was going to hear Teela laugh a lot as she went through this book, and he was actually looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this chapter was all discussion and no real action, but it was an important discussion nonetheless, and of course, there are more things to be done and discussed before nightfall, so please be patient with me. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite all the talk.
> 
> Also, for those curious, yes, I got the title "The Art of Courtly Love" from the very real book by Andreas Capellanus, though people debate who he actually is. In any case, the author is a Frenchman who looked at the British rules of courting and wrote them down. Of course, debatably he was half sarcastic while doing so, but the book became insanely popular and people actually followed it since it did follow the customs of its time (late 1100's) so well. Of course, this book and the one Adam is giving Teela are not the same, because the Eternian book won't be teaching things like "Marriage is no real excuse for not loving." One of the things that Capellanus' book taught is that husbands had the right to go out and have mistresses, etc. Oh, another is that if your mistress was your real love, then you would be cheating on her if you slept with your wife, not the other way around. Haha. Yeah…we can't have our Adam following those kinds of rules, after all, LOL.


	18. The Talk Continues

Teela's Visitor Chapter 18

"I didn't expect this book to be so thick."

Adam smiled as he glanced at the book Teela was flipping through slowly. He could tell she wasn't really reading anything—she was sort of skimming it and looking at whatever caught her eye for the moment. "Well, there are a lot of rules to follow," he replied; "The book also explains why we are expected to follow these instructions, but you don't have to read all of that. Just go to the portions that are of interest."

She shook her head at him. She closed the book and clutched it to her chest. "Nope, I said earlier that I wanted to court you the right way and that's what I intend to do. There won't be any skipping; I'm starting on page one."

His smile turned into a full-fledged grin. He loved that she was taking this so seriously. "Okay, but remember that's totally up to you." When she nodded, he looked around the room for a moment and decided to continue their earlier conversation. "So, are there other things you would like to know or discuss before I leave to prepare for tonight?"

She grinned excitedly as she sat up again energetically. "Well, there is something…" She trailed off and seemed to have begun contemplating it to herself.

"I'm an open-book to you now, Teela. What is it?"

Her grin widened and she exclaimed, "You never told me how you became He-Man for the first time. You said you'd tell me everything and I haven't heard a single word about that, yet."

He sighed playfully and replied with a smirk, "You do realize we've had many other topics distracting us from that one, and might I add that those topics are a lot…better." He gave her a look of barely repressed desire. His eyes raked down her body and back up to her eyes. He could tell from her expression, which was probably very similar to his, that she couldn't agree more with his assessment.

" _And to think, I used to think He-Man was my competition_ ," he thought happily.

"Yes, that's very true," she concurred, "but I'm still curious. This is a huge part of your life and now that I know about it, I want to know everything that you feel comfortable sharing with me."

He wrinkled his brow for a moment in confusion at her words. "Teela, I'm comfortable telling you anything. I'll tell it gladly. I'm not going to hide anything from you ever again. Just remember it's going to take some time to get everything out there. We have two years to catch you up on."

She gave a small nod and stated, "Then, let's get started."

He extended his arms to her and said, "Well, come here. We might as well get comfortable."

She grinned, huddled to his side, and rested her head on his shoulder as they wrapped their arms around each other.

He never had to tell this story before, so he wasn't sure how to start it off. He already knew he didn't have to tell her to keep it a secret and explain why she had to do so like he probably would have had to do with almost anyone else. He decided to tell it straightforward.

"It happened on my eighteenth birthday," he began softly. "Remember, we had a huge party to celebrate since my mother said that eighteen was the age of adulthood on Earth. Supposedly, it was a big deal where she came from. All my life, Mother and Father have tried to incorporate Earth traditions into my life whenever they could, so that's where we got the whole concept of birthday cakes with candles and presents. Would you believe birthdays weren't quite like that before Mother arrived? Father said presents were given before then, but they weren't gift-wrapped and Eternians didn't sing 'Happy Birthday' to anyone. In fact, no one had even heard of the song before she came along. Anyway, I digress…every year, the Sorceress always sent a present with Man-at-Arms, but on that particular birthday, she had him inform us that she wanted to give me my present in person. So, after the party, your father and I went to Castle Grayskull."

Teela smiled as she ran her fingers over Adam's chest and commented, "The Sorceress is really nice to send us presents on our birthday." She popped her head up. "I used to think she sent everyone presents on their birthday. I saw her more as a godlike figure that watched over everyone, but when I was sixteen, I had asked one of the pages what he had gotten from her on his birthday." She paused to laugh a little. "He told me she never sent him anything. I can understand why she would send you presents—you're the Prince of Eternia, but I never understood why she would send anything to me after that. Now that I'm older, I think she must have known I would help He-Man—uh, you—to defend Castle Grayskull, so it was a thank you, of sorts."

Adam tried to stop himself from looking guilty at this comment. He had a suspicion that those presents had nothing to do with future gratitude for protecting the castle. Instead, it was a mother sending her daughter presents secretly. He avoided her gaze and continued with his story.

"Yes, well, in any case, when we finally got to Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress told me about the hard times ahead. She said Skeletor would become more ruthless than ever before and that a hero would be needed." He shook his head and mumbled, "When she told me I was to be that person, I thought she was crazy. I mean, at that time I wasn't pretending to be a coward at all, as you well know, but I didn't think I was experienced enough yet to lead the Guard against Skeletor in battle. After all, I was brought up studying law and arithmetic; I never trained as much as you did growing up. Anyway, that's what I thought she had meant at the time. I suppose she read my thoughts, because she immediately told me afterwards that I wouldn't do it with my father's soldiers, that I would do it with the powers of Castle Grayskull. She then told me to hold out my hands and the Sword of Power appeared in them."

He trailed off as he remembered the moment. That moment had been scary, but oddly to him at the time, it had felt right.

"And, then what happened?" he heard Teela ask.

He snapped out of his reverie and replied, "She simply said, 'By the power of Grayskull, Adam' and went silent." He paused for a moment and then sat up. Teela backed away and faced him. "I don't know how to explain it," he continued, "but I just knew what to do after that. It was…instinctive, like the words and the actions were a part of me."

"What are you talking about?"

He shrugged and clarified, "That's how I change into He-Man. I hold up the Sword of Power and say 'By the power of Grayskull.' The Sorceress didn't have to tell me to hold my sword up, to say those words, or anything else. I just knew…and at that moment, when your father called my name, I did it for the first time and it was…the most incredible feeling I had ever felt. I never felt so powerful before. Truthfully, it scared me a little."

She grabbed his arm and whispered, "Can I see it?"

He looked at her. "See what? The Sword of Power?" He pulled it from his back and held it out to her.

"No, silly!" she exclaimed. "I want to see you turn into He-Man! We're talking about it, so I want to see it. Let me see what you experienced all those years ago." She then widened her eyes and gasped. "Or, does there have to be danger happening at that moment after you turned for the first time? I could understand that…obviously, the Sorceress wouldn't want you to abuse the power."

He placed a finger over her lips. "No, I can change whenever I want to."

She stared at him expectantly, so he nodded a couple of times and said, "Okay." He got off the bed and as she started to move, he held his hand out to motion for her to stop. "Stay on the bed and away from me. I don't want you to get hurt."

As she widened her eyes, he held the sword up and yelled, "By the power of Grayskull!" After he had transformed and yelled "I have the power!" he looked over at her to gauge her reaction. She was simply staring at him with her mouth wide open. She wasn't even blinking.

"Teela?" he questioned. He moved back to the bed and sat down in front of her as she continued to stare. "Well, what do you think?"

She blinked rapidly for a few seconds and then stuttered, "T-that…that…that was AMAZING!" She dropped her mouth open again and shook her head. After a moment more, she asked hurriedly, "Does it hurt? It looks like it should be painful with all that lightning and energy shooting to you." She then widened her eyes. "Hey, wait a minute! This power comes from Castle Grayskull's abyss, doesn't it? I remember while I was down there that one time that all this energy had shot up from far below and nearly blinded me. You were there and changed into He-Man to save me, didn't you?"

He nodded and answered simply, "Yes, and my power does comes from the abyss. That's what you saw…and no, it doesn't hurt."

She swallowed noticeably, stretched her hand out, and extended her index finger. With a smile, she touched his shoulder and pushed on him a little, almost like she was testing if he were really there.

He arched an eyebrow at her and said, "I'm still Adam. My complexion is just a little darker, but it shouldn't be hard to see Adam in He-Man anymore…or at least, that's what your father said to me all the time in the beginning."

She continued to smile at him and replied, "Oh, I can definitely see my Adam in you now, He-Man." She then mumbled to herself, "I suppose I always did, really. Now, everything makes sense…"

He knew what she was thinking and his mind accidentally slipped into hers, which confirmed his ideas.

" _For so long, I thought I was a horrible person for liking them both, but my subconscious must have known they were the same person!_ "

Forcing himself out her mind—he didn't want to invade her privacy like that without her knowing—he teased, "What? Do you now think you were attracted to He-Man because he looks like Adam?"

She glared at him playfully for a moment and then laughed loudly. "Hey, do you always refer to yourself in the third person like that?"

He chuckled at himself and answered, "Only when it deals with He-Man. I have to keep myself and whoever I'm talking to straight. I mean, it would sound strange and more than a little egotistical to ask if you are attracted to me because I look like me."

She laughed louder and exclaimed, "I suppose so!" She stared at him for a few moments and whispered, "But to answer your question, I think I liked He-Man, because somehow I must have known subconsciously that he was you. I can't tell you how many nights I stayed up fretting over my feelings. I thought I was so awful, and I felt like I was betraying and cheating on you, Adam." She looked down at the bed and when she looked back up, she stated calmly, "You don't know how much of a relief it is to discover that you're the same person."

He simply smiled at her before she leaned forward and slipped a hand behind his neck. Feeling bolder than he ever had as He-Man with her, he leaned towards her and met her lips softly. When they pulled apart and opened their eyes, she slipped her arms around him and said softly, "You feel just like Adam. If I had my eyes closed and couldn't feel your apparel, I wouldn't be able to tell what form you were in."

He slipped his arms around her and whispered before he met her lips in another kiss, "Good, I wouldn't want to have a competition with myself over you."

She looked at him seriously and stated firmly, "There's no competition at all, He-Man. I prefer Adam. I want the real man."

Without any comment whatsoever, he left the bed, took his sword out hurriedly, and said, "Let the power return."

"A little less glitzy but spectacular, nonetheless," she observed, but she couldn't get much else out, because his lips were suddenly on hers.

Without conscious thought, he pushed her to lie on the bed and he leaned over her to kiss her thoroughly. To hear that she preferred Adam over He-Man…he was close to losing control of himself. He hadn't realized how badly he had wanted to hear those words from her until that very moment. As he kissed her continuously, he ran his hands down the sides of her uniform to her hips and then up to her stomach. He gripped her there tightly and then flipped them so she was on top of him.

She pulled back a little and laughed before she met his lips again with hers. They kissed excessively and he was almost tempted to go further when he bumped something with his arm as he ran his hands down her body. He glanced over and saw the book he had given her earlier. He immediately sighed. Even though he knew they were contemplating on breaking the first rule in that book, it still reminded him that he needed to do things right. Taking her now before he had romanced her and swept her off her feet would be regrettable to them both. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes in pleasure as Teela nibbled the side of his chin.

"Teela," he whispered when he regained control of himself.

"Hmm?" she responded as she continued to rub her hands up and down his sides.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, I think I need to go to prepare for tonight. I need to get Cringer taken care of, among other things."

She groaned. "Do you have to?"

"Yes," he insisted. "I want to do things the right way."

She sighed. "Okay," she replied reluctantly. She rolled off of him and stared at him as he stared at her.

"I love you," he whispered, "and I want you to know that whatever happens tonight, no matter what we decide to do or not do, that's never going to change."

"I love you, too."

He smiled brightly and got off the bed. He didn't move to the door right away; instead, he stared at her again. When she suddenly grinned at him in obvious amusement for staring at her for so long, he chuckled, shook his head, and replied, "I'm sorry. I just can't believe that this is actually happening sometimes."

"I know what you mean," she said softly.

He leaned to the bed once more and kissed her lightly. "Until tonight," he whispered as he pulled away slightly and stared into her eyes.

She repeated his words as she watched him walk away. When he reached the door, he turned back to look at her one more time and smiled a toothy grin. She picked up the book that was still resting beside her, used it to wave bye at him, and watched him stepped into the hall.

As he shut the door, he saw her flip to a page in the beginning. It looked like she was settling down to read. He didn't think it was possible, but his heart soared more at the moment than it ever had before. He was about to prepare for the evening as she prepared for their future. She was willingly learning the steps of how they would merge their lives together without him really asking her to. Tears gathered in his eyes and a single tear dropped as it finally hit him that this really was happening: she loved him, she wanted him, and she wanted to be with him for the rest of their lives.

He walked away from her door and went to look for Cringer. He had to talk to him about finding a different place to sleep that night. He also needed to figure out if they should join their family for dinner or eat privately, among many other things. He wanted the evening to be perfect regardless of whether they decided to make love or not. Teela had made his day unforgettable and amazing, and he wanted to do the same thing for her tonight.

=)=)=)


	19. Unwanted Thoughts

Teela's Visitor Chapter 19

Adam walked through the halls in search of Cringer. He truly felt a little guilty about all the time he was spending away from his feline friend now that Teela and he had moved their relationship past the platonic stage. Even though Cringer didn't seem to be upset or angry when they had spoken earlier, he knew that the tiger wanted to be with him more often than not and that this distance wasn't the norm.

Of course, Teela wasn't to blame. He had to throw avoiding Man-at-Arms and several trips to Castle Grayskull in there, as well, and he had to admit his friend probably liked missing out on the latter anyway. Cringer always complained about going, because he worried that the Sorceress would send them off on yet another wild adventure.

He grinned as he thought of Cringer's comments over the years. The tiger said all the time that he hated being Battlecat, but when it came down to it, he knew Cringer wanted to go as much as he didn't want to go. It was a paradox that the feline would never admit to having, but he knew the war within him was there. Since he was a kitten, the cat had followed him everywhere, and he knew from experience that when times were dire, Cringer would risk his own life to protect him. He had proven that over the years.

Truth be told, he knew he owed Cringer a lot, not only for his constant companionship while growing up but also for his constant partnership against Skeletor. Sure, he always had Duncan at his side to help him but as Teela had made him realize earlier, Man-at-Arms never really went through the events with him like Cringer did. Cringer was right there with him every step of the way experiencing what he experienced…and giving Teela all of his attention recently was definitely not a way to show Cringer any appreciation or loyalty.

He didn't want him to start resenting her; he knew that was the main thing bothering him at the moment. Soon, Teela and he were going to start intertwining their lives together more so than they already were, and he simply needed for Cringer to accept the changes that were coming. He knew he might be a little silly to worry about this or to even think it might be a problem in the first place, but he couldn't help it. He had noticed in the past when he was flirting with courtiers that Cringer was often annoyed either by his actions or the girls simply being there. He didn't know what he would do if Cringer started to feel that way about Teela. He had a feeling it would tear him apart, so he wanted to stop the problem before it even started…hopefully, it hadn't started yet.

What brought this worry to his mind was the fact that he planned on asking Cringer to make himself scarce tonight, but as they had discussed briefly at breakfast, Cringer had been doing so a lot over the last couple of days…

And now he had to do so at night, as well?

Adam realized the tiger might not take kindly to that despite how good-natured and afraid of confrontation he was. So, on top of figuring out what he wanted to do with Teela that evening, he wanted to spend a little time with Cringer, as well, to make sure he was okay with everything that was happening. He realized he should have spoken with his pet about this long before now—he had just been distracted by so many other things, but it couldn't be put off any longer.

After he had stopped by all of Cringer's favorite sleeping spots throughout the palace and had seen that the tiger wasn't there, he went outside into the courtyard. Immediately, he saw Cringer sitting down, listening to Orko, who floated slightly above him.

"Ah, come on, Cringer, it'll be fun!" the Trollan exclaimed with his hands waving wildly. "The king and queen will love the trick so much they might even give you a big platter of fish!"

"Fish?" questioned Cringer excitedly as he stood and his tail swayed back and forth happily.

He chose that moment to interrupt. "What are you two doing?" he questioned.

Orko floated in front of him and responded, "I'm getting Cringer to help me with my latest trick for the king and queen! I'm going to lock him in a cage and tie his feet together; then with my magic I'm going to make him disappear and reappear outside the cage with his legs completely free!"

He nodded with a smile and said, "Sounds interesting…"

But before he could say anything else, Cringer dropped to ground, shook nervously as he covered his eyes, and complained, "No, it doesn't." He then popped his head up and said, "The question is whether fish is worth the risk."

Adam laughed heartily at his pet as he dropped beside him and petted him affectionately. He looked to Orko and asked, "When do you plan on performing this trick? I would like to steal your assistant for a couple of hours, if you don't mind."

The Trollan placed his fists on his waist and replied, "Well, I wanted to do it tonight, but I guess I can push it back a few days. What are you two going to do?"

He looked at Cringer with a hopeful smile and said, "I just thought he and I needed a little break and could go fishing together or something. How does that sound, Old Buddy?"

"That sounds great, Adam!" the tiger exclaimed. He then heard Cringer mumble to himself, "This way I'll get fish without having to do Orko's crazy trick."

Adam laughed and winked at his pet. He then turned back to Orko and offered, "You're more than welcome to join us, as well."

He shook his head and said, "Ah, no, I can't. If Cringer and I aren't going to do this trick today, I need to figure out something else."

"Well, okay, Little Buddy, but just remember the offer stands. You know where we'll be: at my favorite fishing hole."

"Sure thing, Adam!" the magician replied.

Adam turned to Cringer and said, "Well, let me go grab my fishing pole and let's head to the Evergreen Forest right away. We need to get out of here before we get caught. I've kind of been letting my royal duties slip over the last few days and knowing our luck, Father will notice any second now."

The tiger didn't need to be told twice. "Well, then let's go!" he cried as he sprinted back towards the palace entrance. Adam laughed as he went after him.

=)=)=)

Adam rested his back against a tree after he threw his fishing line into the water. He reached out with his other hand and scratched the top of Cringer's head. "Ah, this is the life, isn't it, Cringer?" he mumbled lazily as he rotated his neck a little to get the stiffness out.

"It sure is," the cat replied as he stretched his front paws out as far as he could while his hind legs remained standing straight. He yawned and then continued, "I feel like I could sleep for a year."

Adam yawned, as well. "Me, too. With that dream we shared and my recent worries, I know I haven't been sleeping like I should."

Cringer glanced at him briefly and replied, "What recent worries?"

"Oh, you know: Teela," he answered with a shrug.

He watched as the tiger settled down and closed his eyes. Sighing, he asked abruptly and softly, "Teela and I are getting pretty serious, Cringer. What do you think about that?"

The feline opened his eyes, turned his head to look at him, and said, "I like Teela…and I know how much you like her."

He nodded and then asked, "So, you're okay that she's been around so much?"

The tiger yawned again and mumbled, "She's always been around, Adam; she's always dr-dragging you off to do something, so now's not much different except she now shows up in unexpected places."

His skin turned scarlet red as he remembered Cringer discovering Teela in his bed. He brought a hand up and massaged the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yes, well…things like that are probably going to continue to happen… It won't be so strange soon enough."

The tiger nodded and stated again, "I like Teela. I don't mind you two being together...you know, together, together."

He scratched behind Cringer's ears and replied with a wide grin, "I'm glad you feel that way, Old Buddy." After a few moments of hesitation, he then stated softly, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Cringer looked at him fearfully. "Oh, no!" He dropped his head and covered his eyes with his paws. "We're not about t-to go out as He-Man and Battlecat to do something for Teela, are we?"

He arched an eyebrow at his pet's idea. "Uh, no," he answered in amusement. "You know if Teela wants something, she's the type to go get it herself." He laughed a little and continued, "I just wanted to ask if it were okay that you sleep somewhere else tonight. Perhaps maybe with Orko?"

He watched as Cringer popped his head up to look at him with a confused expression.

Taking a deep breath, he explained, "Teela is…possibly going to spend the night, and well, she would feel better if we were alone during that time. It won't be all the time…" He trailed off and held his breath as he waited for the reaction.

"Sure, Adam, I'll spend the night with Orko," he replied with a smirk.

"Are you sure?" he asked, ignoring his pet's teasing. He knew Teela would kill him for discussing this with anyone, Cringer included, so avoidance was best. Continuing their conversation, he added, "I want you to know you aren't going to be excluded from us or anything. You know I would never allow that…"

"Of course, I know that, Adam." He said that almost as if he were offended that the prince would think otherwise.

He smiled in relief and whispered, "Good." He turned his attention to the pond and said, "Well, the fish aren't biting. Why don't we also use this time to catch up on our sleep?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

=)=)=)

At first, he didn't know what had woken him up. He felt a little hot and dehydrated, and he quickly realized Cringer and he had been asleep for several hours. Now the sun had moved in the sky and its rays were bearing down on him. He stretched a little to wake himself up a little more and almost fell sideways when he suddenly felt the Sorceress' presence enter his mind. He could tell without her speaking that she was a little worried.

" _Sorceress_?" he questioned silently before she could even utter a word.

" _Adam, Skeletor is here at Castle Grayskull_!" she cried.

He could tell she was a little more worried than usual, and that certainly alarmed him. Knowing now wasn't a time to ask questions, he replied immediately, " _I'm on my way_." As he stood, the Sorceress interrupted him before he could wake Cringer up.

" _I must warn you, Adam, that I don't know what he has planned. He's standing on the drawbridge with Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Beastman. They haven't done anything yet and some kind of large pearl box is in his Basher._ "

" _Well, one thing is for certain,_ " he replied; " _It's not going to be a nice present. Are you sending for anyone else?_ "

" _Yes, I will contact Man-at-Arms next._ "

" _Okay, sounds good. See you soon, Sorceress. I'll be there as soon as I can_."

Adam quickly pushed on Cringer a little and as soon as the tiger looked at him, he frowned sympathetically and said, "The Sorceress needs He-Man and Battlecat, Old Friend. Let's go."

"Aww, Adam," the cat complained, but he ignored it and held up his sword.

"By the Power of Grayskull!"

=)=)=)

He-Man and Battlecat hurried to Castle Grayskull as quickly as they could. He hoped they would beat Man-at-Arms and whoever else he had decided to bring along with him. It hit him at that moment that it probably wouldn't be Teela, thanks to her new responsibilities. Of course, these trips had never really been a part of her formal responsibilities anyway. She merely included herself most of the time, and he knew it was possible that she'd still do the same. He didn't know whether he liked that idea or not. While he didn't want her to get hurt, he knew she was a trained soldier and could handle herself. It's just that after their courtship was announced, she would become a much bigger target and he didn't want them to take unnecessary risks. But, a moment ago when he had the idea that Teela wouldn't be accompanying her father, he felt incredibly sad. He already missed her presence on the field.

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he realized he needed to get those thoughts out of his mind for the time being. He didn't need to be distracted while fighting Skeletor, especially since he didn't know what the villain had up his sleeves this time.

Soon, they arrived at Castle Grayskull, and he could see why the Sorceress was so unsettled. Skeletor and his followers were standing on the drawbridge in a huddle and speaking to one another. He looked at the large box on the Basher: it was so huge that it hadn't been placed in the seat; instead, it was roped onto the back portion of the craft.

He walked forward with every intention of making himself known to the miscreants when he heard a commotion to his left. He looked over to see Man-at-Arms, Orko, and Teela, along with Ram Man, coming in an AttakTrak. He waved his arms and the vehicle immediately stopped.

"He-Man!" they all exclaimed happily.

Teela hopped out, ran over, and started to hug him but stopped herself abruptly. He watched as she glanced over at Ram Man briefly. She then looked annoyed, and he knew it was because she was refraining from hugging him like she wanted to. "Hey," she said softly instead.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he questioned. "I thought you were stationed to remain at the palace."

She smirked and said, "The public announcement isn't until tomorrow, so I'm not in any more danger than I'm normally in." Her expression then softened. "I thought it would be nice to battle side-by-side one more time if it is to become a thing of the past."

He could tell from her words that they might have future arguments over that one, but at that moment, he decided to ignore the possibility and focus on the fact that she wanted to be with him one more time. He didn't care what Ram Man saw. He reached out, grabbed her hand, and squeezed it for a moment. "It does sound nice."

At that moment, Man-at-Arms cleared his throat as he stepped before them to grab their attention. He looked over at Castle Grayskull and asked, "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly; "Skeletor and the others haven't tried to get into the castle, yet, as far as I know. They're huddled together talking…"

Orko floated over and interrupted by saying, "I don't know—I feel some powerful magic right now…something other than Castle Grayskull. Are you sure they're just talking? Maybe they're casting a spell."

He-Man widened his eyes and realized that would make much more sense, and he bet that it had something to do with that box. "You're probably right," he agreed. "Well, why don't we just walk over there and interrupt the party?"

Ram Man replied, "Sounds good to me, heh ha ha!"

They made their way over to the castle as quickly as they could. Just as they reached the lower portion of the drawbridge, he heard Teela ask her father, "What does Skeletor plan on doing with that box? It looks odd, almost like it's shimmering."

"I'm not sure," Duncan answered, "but I'm sure whatever it is, it won't be good."

He-Man stopped abruptly and suggested, "Maybe I can find out and answer that question before we even get over there. We can find out what they're planning."

Everyone stopped to look at him.

"How are we going to do that?" she questioned.

He stared into her eyes for a few moments and admitted, "It's another one of those stories I have to tell you at another time." He glanced at Man-at-Arms and asked, "What do you think?" He knew Man-at-Arms would know he was talking about his new ability.

"It's worth a try," he answered. "Maybe knowing what Skeletor is thinking will make this a lot easier, and maybe we'll find out what the box is for and put a stop to whatever plans he has for it."

At that moment, He-Man realized this might be the best ability he had ever been given. He realized if he could read Skeletor's thoughts all the time, they'd be able to stop him with ease. They'd be able to counter any evil scheme he devised before he put it into motion. He stepped closer and focused on Skeletor just as he felt the Sorceress enter his mind again.

" _He-Man, Skeletor seems to be_ …" She suddenly trailed off.

He could tell she was now aware of his intentions, so he began to push her from his mind so he wouldn't be distracted by her presence while he attempted. He knew instinctively that she tried to tell him something as he pushed her out of his mind, but he didn't understand it since he had cut himself off from her. He took a deep breath and stared at Skeletor intently once more.

"Okay, here goes nothing," he mumbled as Man-at-Arms gave him a short nod.

Just as He-Man felt his mind touching Skeletor's, he heard the Sorceress yell aloud from the castle window, "No, don't do it!"

It was too late. Suddenly, he seemed to be sucked in, and what he saw brought him to his knees…literally.

=)=)=)

Screams pierced his ears as darkness overwhelmed his senses. He couldn't see or feel anything, and he had never been so scared in his life. As the screams got louder and louder, he discerned another sound fighting to be heard above the screams. In a matter of moments, he recognized what it was and it made him flinch. It was Skeletor's sadistic laughter and it consumed him.

He closed his eyes and tried to place his hands over his ears, but he couldn't. He had lost his motor skills. All he could do was watch as the darkness brightened slightly and he could just make out Castle Grayskull in the distance. Numerous people were on the opened drawbridge and he gasped in fear. Skeletor screamed in success as he lifted a white object high in his hand. He stared at it for a moment and even though it was still dark, he could tell what it was: it was the Sorceress' head.

"Nooooooo!" he tried to scream but it came out as a mere whisper.

Then, the scene seemed to change. The darkness, screams, and laughter still overwhelmed him. They were constant and growing louder again as light barely pierced through the emptiness to allow him to see again slightly. He knew where he was. He was in the palace throne room, and he watched in absolute horror as Skeletor stood over his parents' bodies. Then, he saw himself as Adam several feet away, as well as Teela. They were all bloody and dead. No one, not even Man-at-Arms, could help them. He noticed at that moment that bodies were everywhere and Skeletor was the only live one present.

He watched with absolute terror as the villain grabbed the crown from his father's head and lifted it up in much the same manner as he had done with the Sorceress' head. He wanted to scream out as he had before, but he found that he was unable to this time. His condition was growing worse.

And, the scene changed yet again. The screams, darkness, and laughter still dominated his senses and this time he discovered they were at Snake Mountain. He saw Skeletor standing over He-Man. The villain placed a foot on his chest as if he were declaring victory, and the truth was he had won. Blood was everywhere and He-Man never moved a muscle. He was dead…just like all the others that he had seen earlier. He tried to cry out in disbelief and total despair as he watched Skeletor hold up the Sword of Power, but he couldn't. He couldn't do anything.

Then, he finally heard something new over the screams and laughter. It was Skeletor proclaiming in the most sadistic voice he had ever heard the villain use, "ETERNIA IS MINE!"

Then, everything went dark and he was no longer aware of anything.

=)=)=)

Everything was still dark and he prepared himself for yet another horrible sight even though he couldn't imagine how anything could be worse than what he had already seen.

He was startled to hear Man-at-Arms' voice, and that's when he realized he no longer heard the terrible screams and Skeletor's laughter.

"Sorceress, what happened? He's still unconscious—I've never seen him pass out like that before."

"I warned him, Duncan, but he obviously didn't understand. I told him there were dangers when looking into people's minds—I told him to only do it with those whom he trusted."

He groaned and tried to open his eyes.

"Adam," he heard as soft fingers brushed against his cheek. He knew that voice and touch anywhere.

"Teela," he mumbled as he forced himself to open and focus his eyes on her.

"Hey!" she exclaimed as tears slipped down her cheeks continuously.

Soon, Man-at-Arms and the Sorceress came into view. They stood above Teela, so he assumed she was sitting down beside him on a bed.

"How are you?" Duncan asked as he reached out and squeezed his forearm. "You gave us quite a scare back there. No one could focus on fighting Skeletor since we were so worried about you. I think the only reason we won is because Skeletor was disappointed that you weren't there and simply left."

He-Man only stared at them and didn't say a word. He didn't know why he didn't respond. He knew he was able, but he just couldn't. He felt…empty. Everything felt so pointless and horrible.

He then felt the Sorceress' presence in his mind, but she quickly retreated. He noticed her shiver before she moved around Teela to stand beside him near his head. "What you're feeling now is the remnants of Skeletor's thoughts," she explained softly. "When your minds touched, his ideas and beliefs were so evil and so powerful that he overwhelmed your mind. The only reason you didn't succumb to those ideas is because your virtue and nobleness were stronger. Instead, it made you feel sick, among other things."

He stared at her for a moment before turning back to look at Teela again. He felt tears accumulate in his eyes. He remembered seeing her dead, lying beside him in a pool of blood, and he suddenly couldn't bear the thought. Nor could he stand any of the others: his parents, the Sorceress, Duncan, and everyone else…dead.

"Perhaps you should turn back into Prince Adam," the Sorceress suggested. "Maybe getting you out of here and back home might make you feel a little better."

Again, he didn't respond in any way. Then, he noticed that Teela was leaning over him. She kissed him softly and whispered, "Change into Adam and come back to me. Say something. I need you so much." More tears slipped down her cheeks.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and slowly, he sat up. He grabbed his sword, held it up, and returned the power. As he slipped the sword behind his back where it belonged, he watched Teela as she brushed her fingers across his cheek again. She looked worried, and he hated to be the cause of it, so he tried to act normal.

"I'm—I'm okay," he assured her with a raspy whisper. He then swung his legs to the floor and stared at everyone present. Everyone who had shown up to fight was there aside from Ram Man. He assumed Man-at-Arms had sent him back to the palace to report what had happened to his father.

Then, he noticed Duncan walked over and bent before him. He grabbed his hand and asked, "Are you able to walk on your own? Are you sure you're okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine," he reassured them. To convince them, he took a deep breath and stood. He looked over to the Sorceress and responded to what she had said to Man-at-Arms earlier. "When you warned me about reading people's minds, I thought you meant I might not like what I hear. I didn't know anything like this could happen."

She walked over and squeezed his hand. "Well, now, you do, so I trust the same mistake won't happen again."

He nodded and looked over at Teela as she stood and immediately put her arm around his waist. "I love you," she whispered as they began to walk slowly through the castle.

He nodded as he leaned over and kissed her temple. He felt so tired and so out of it that he didn't repeat the sentiment. She knew how much she meant to him, so he hoped his actions would suffice.

=)=)=)

He didn't want any dinner, so he allowed Teela to pull him to his room without any complaints whatsoever. As soon as they entered the room, he went to his bed to lie down as he heard her lock the door. He dropped his head onto his pillow and closed his eyes to try to block everything out.

Teela wouldn't let him, though. She walked over from the door and immediately began to remove his boots. After she finished this task, he watched her remove hers, as well, and then move to the other side of his bed. He followed her progress, turned onto his side, and then brought his knees up slightly. He wondered if she would think less of him if he curled up into a ball.

He knew she didn't really understand what was happening right now—he didn't even really understand it himself, but his mind kept replaying what he had seen in Skeletor's thoughts over and over again. It left him lethargic and depressed. He knew he needed to overcome these feelings, but at that particular moment, it felt impossible.

He watched as Teela slipped into the bed beside him, faced him, and mimicked his position. "I love you," she said after several moments. She reached out and took one of his hands in hers.

He knew she was trying to comfort him and he tried to return the favor, so he replied softly, "I love you, too."

He watched in surprise as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Adam, talk to me," she pleaded. "What did you see?"

He stared at her for so long that he knew she probably thought he wasn't going to answer her. "Death," he whispered finally. "Everyone was dead: me, you, Mother, Father, Duncan, the Sorceress…we were all gone and Skeletor had won." He heard her gasp.

"They're the imaginings of a madman, Adam," she stated firmly. "They're not premonitions—it's wishful thinking. That's all, nothing more."

He nodded slowly. "I know," he whispered. "I just need…some time to get over it. It felt so real, even though I knew that it wasn't. Even now, the images are replaying in my mind and I still feel the same helplessness and dread I felt then…I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning." He then paused and stared at her for a moment. He groaned and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Teela. I know I was supposed to wine and dine you tonight. We possibly would have made love. I'm so sorry to have ruined that for you."

She quickly brought a finger to his lips and replied, "Shush, don't apologize—you have no reason to be sorry. If you want to discuss it tomorrow, we can but please know that I'm not disappointed. The only thing I care about right now is you. You'll notice I was hospitable to the Sorceress and my father this afternoon—take that as proof." She leaned forward and kissed him softly as he smiled a little at her words. She moved her body closer to his and wrapped her arms around him. "I want to hold you tonight. We'll do whatever you want: sleep, talk, nothing. It doesn't matter. I just want to be here with you to help. I don't want you to be alone right now while these thoughts are bombarding your mind," she whispered; "Can I stay?"

He slipped his arms around her and as tears slipped down his cheeks, he answered, "Yes."


	20. Taking Things Further

Teela's Visitor Chapter 20

He knew Teela had plans all day long to spend the night with him, but he was sure she didn't mean to do that quite like this. Regardless, he was grateful for her company. He knew if this had happened before Teela had learned his secret, he would have been sitting in his room alone trying to overcome the feelings of woe on his own. Well, Cringer might have been with him, and the Ancients knew he helped a lot…but things were certainly better with Teela around to help, as well.

Currently, she was kissing the tears on his cheeks and he smiled in response. She was being so understanding and so sweet. This was the Teela he had grown to love as a child. Oh, she had still been that person once they had grown up, but he had rarely gotten the opportunity to see this side of her, thanks to his persona as carefree and cowardly Prince Adam. She had grown accustomed to having to get onto him for not taking things seriously.

She was surely seeing he cared about a lot of things now. If it had been anyone else, he probably would have been embarrassed about crying in front of them…well, he would have been embarrassed with her if she hadn't known the truth about everything. But he knew she understood now. She understood why he had done the things he had done, and she knew if he was upset now, it had really affected him.

He looked at her once she pulled her lips from his face and continued to smile. "Thank you," he said softly.

"There's no need to thank me," she replied; "I want to be here for you. You're not going to be alone ever again."

He squeezed her hand and whispered, "I haven't been alone, not really, but I'm glad you're here anyway. Things are definitely better now. I like being able to talk openly with you."

She kissed his nose and he chuckled at her actions. "So, talk openly now," she commanded softly.

He grimaced as tears gathered in his eyes again. She immediately frowned and he said, "I'm okay, Teela. It's just that these thoughts from Skeletor…I entered his mind and saw them. It's not like I'm remembering something I thought of days ago; instead, it's like a memory, if that makes any sense. I can see the images of the Sorceress decapitated and Skeletor holding up my father's crown…"

She gasped and he nodded. "Yeah, and I saw a lot more than that." He took a shaky breath and continued, "Intellectually, I know these thoughts aren't real, but my senses and feelings are treating them differently. I cannot bear the memory of seeing you and our parents dead. A memory is far more lasting and horrible than a mere thought…"

Teela tightened her arms around him as she spoke. "I know there's nothing I can do to help with that, Adam. All I can do is be here, I guess, unless you have an idea of what I can do."

"Just being here is great." He kissed her on the forehead before she settled her head on his chest as he turned to lie on his back. "But, can we talk about something else? I'd rather get my mind off of it than dwell on it, if you don't mind."

She nodded. "Okay," she whispered. "What do you want to talk about?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Anything. Pick a topic."

She turned her head to kiss his chest through his clothes. "Well, why don't we discuss that book you gave me earlier? I read the first chapter."

He grinned and asked, "So, what did you think?"

She pulled herself up and sat crossed-legged beside him. "It was very enlightening."

He nodded and watched as she looked down at her lap.

"Can I admit something that might sound awful?" She met his gaze cautiously as he nodded again. "After reading that first chapter, I'm…glad we have more time to consider things."

He immediately scooted up and rested his back against the headboard of the bed. She effectively made him forget about Skeletor for the moment. "So, you've changed your mind about us…making love?"

"I didn't say that." She took his hand in hers. "I haven't made any such decision. I just think there is a lot more to consider than I had realized, especially since you're the High Prince."

"What do you mean?"

She started fumbling with and staring at his fingers and explained, "Well, for one, when you and I decide to get married, members of the council or even monarchs from other kingdoms, they can…well, they can ask for proof that…I'm still pure."

He gasped, "Teela…"

She didn't give him time to say anything else. "I know, I know. Your parents got away with it. They made love before marriage and no one asked her to prove anything, but they were in a different situation than you and I, don't you think?"

"How so?"

"Well, for starters, your father was the king when he met your mother. It's one thing to ask a prince for proof that his fiancée is pure but quite another to ask the High King of the entire planet." She met his gaze. "I just…I don't want anything to stop us from being together, and I'm a commoner. It gives people a lot more reason to question my current state in this matter. I know since King Randor gave you those condoms, he's not expecting there to be a problem, but what if there is? What if someone questions him and asks him to subject me to those tests?"

Adam didn't want to admit it, but he knew she had a very legitimate concern. He knew all about the questions they could ask and the test of purity, but he honestly didn't think there would be a problem. It was an archaic custom and he hoped the people of Eternia had moved past it. As far as he knew, no one had asked this test of anyone for quite a while. He brought one of her hands to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on her knuckles as he gazed into her eyes. "Teela, I'm not going to say that those fears are ungrounded. Someone _might_ ask for proof—I think it's highly unlikely—but here are some things to consider: first of all, they have to ask my father for that proof; second, my father has every right to deny their request; and last, I honestly don't think anyone will ask. The people know us and we're well-liked. Besides, no one in any kingdom has asked for this test to be performed in a very long time."

She shook her head and said, "Angry fathers of jealous daughters might ask just to give us a hard time. Adam, your father said it himself: a lot of people had their eyes on you. There might be a backlash."

He looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "Teela, if you don't want to make love to err on the side of caution, that is fine with me. I will do anything to make you happy. I just…want you to know that Father would never stop me from marrying you if that's what I wanted to do. He wouldn't allow anyone to stop us."

She nodded with tears in her eyes, and he placed his hand on her cheek.

"Are there any other reasons you might change your mind?"

She shrugged and answered softly, "Well, just the things you've already said about marriage and that making love is supposed to be a gift to your spouse. The book was very convincing on the importance of chastity." She laughed a little. "And, besides, there are other things we can do with and _to_ each other without actually…joining. We've already done some of those."

He grinned as she looked down and a blush started to color her skin. "Ah, yes," he said teasingly, "I do remember that night. When was that? Oh, yeah…last night." He laughed as she lifted her head slightly to peek at him. He pulled on her hand a little and said, "Come here."

Willingly, she allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. She rested her head under his chin as she slipped her arms around him. "Then, I suppose it's settled," he whispered. "We're going to wait…at least for now."

She nodded and pulled back. "Yes," she answered but then looked up at him worriedly. "If that's okay with you. I mean, if you want to…"

"Teela," he interrupted her by grabbing her chin and making sure she was looking at him. "I'm fine with waiting. Besides, like you just said a second ago, there are other things we can do to express our love when the desire hits us."

She smiled and exclaimed, "When the desire hits us? Adam, just being in your presence makes me want to pounce on you!"

"Oh, really?" he questioned huskily, running his eyes down her body seductively. "Do you want to pounce on me right now and help me forget about the world for a while?"

He was happy that Teela had made the decision to wait. It opened him up to be freer with his actions and words when they were in moments like this. He didn't have to worry about seducing her and making her do something she might later regret. With her decision, he now knew she wanted to stop and he could use that to stop himself, as well. He knew they'd only go so far, that there was a boundary, which made him feel a lot more comfortable about things.

He grinned at her as seductively as he could manage as he waited for the answer; he was feeling downright giddy, so he knew that his look might end up being goofier than intended. He had a feeling it worked, though—she gave him the exact same look he had been going for: a lowering of the head and eyelids as they ran their eyes over places to touch on the other. "Yes," she answered simply.

He didn't waste any time. He held her gaze when her eyes met his again and stated, "Well, then I'm waiting, Captain."

=)=)=)

He closed his eyes as she pressed her lips against his firmly. He grinned and started to pull her to him even closer, but surprisingly, she moved back abruptly. "What is it?" he asked hurriedly. "Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head and answered, "No, it's just that I want to do the exploring this time. I want to take charge." She ran a finger down his neck, down his chest, and to his belt before moving it back up. "You've had such a hard day. I want to make you forget about every horrible moment you've had to endure."

Just as he opened his mouth to tell her that he wanted the same for her, she interjected, "I'm going to enjoy this just as much as you will. Trust me."

Adam swallowed roughly as he felt himself harden significantly at her words. He closed his eyes and licked his lips a little. Just her words pleased him, and he knew she spoke the truth. Teela was definitely one that liked to take charge totally, and he had to admit it would make him forget everything for a while. She had already done a good job and this would certainly keep the streak going. Finally, he whispered, "Okay."

She grinned wickedly and whispered, "Good boy. Now, just lie down and let me have my dirty way with you." She laughed heartily as he widened his eyes almost the point where they hurt.

Eventually, he recovered enough to grin at her mirth and asked jokingly, "What are you trying to do? End things before they even begin?"

She leaned over him but didn't allow their bodies to touch. "Oh, so you like a little dirty talk, do you?" She kissed him lightly on the lips.

When she pulled away to run her eyes down his body, he answered, "Only when it's you doing it."

"I better be," she replied, but before he could reassure her, she began to kiss, nip, and suck on his neck where she could feel his vein pulsing from his heartbeat. He moaned instantaneously and moved to take her in his arms again. She pulled back again and stated, "No touching until I state otherwise, my prince. I'm in charge tonight."

The look she gave him made him want to take her in his arms and forget all about their decision to wait. He breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and mumbled, "Yes, ma'am." Then, he felt her lips on his again and he grinned happily. He kissed her hungrily even as he fought against the urge to grab her.

When she pulled away, she mumbled again, "Good boy."

He chuckled a little in response to her words as she brought her lips to his again. Her hands traveled down his chest to the buckle of his belt. She undid it slowly, pulled it from his body, and dropped it to the floor unceremoniously. The next thing to go was his tunic. She wrapped her arms around him as she straddled his legs and made him sit up. He went to put his hands around her waist, but the glare she gave him stopped him cold. He grinned again widely, which she returned, as well, as he placed his balled-up fists at his sides.

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Teela slipped the tunic down his shoulders and off his body. When it joined the belt, she pulled his t-shirt from his tights and slipped it over his head onto the floor, too. Once she was finished, she pushed him back down and ran her eyes over his finely chiseled chests and abs. "I don't know why I never questioned why you were so muscular if you really lazed about all the time. You couldn't get this kind of physique with just my combat lessons," she mumbled to herself.

He heard her and smiled. "The powers of Grayskull?" he suggested with a shrug.

She didn't respond. Instead, she scooted herself down so she could kiss his collarbone easily. She lingered there for only a few moments before she started moving downward. Surprisingly, she only spent a few moments on his chest. She kissed each peck and ran her lips across them lightly, making him moan, but soon she traveled even farther south. Repeating what he had once done to her that drove her mad, she swirled her tongue around his bellybutton several times before sliding it into the hole.

He gasped right away. "Teela," he called out as he began to breathe a little roughly.

She glanced up his body briefly to look at his face as she smiled and began to nibble on the skin there.

He leaned his head back and brought one of his hands to his face to cover it. He was having a hard time not reaching for her at that moment. "Teela, you're torturing me!" he finally cried out.

In response, she left his bellybutton and went down a little farther to the waistband on his tights and fur-pants. She began to lick the skin above them from one side to the other.

He moaned and raised his hips to rub himself against her body. He had tried to stop the response but couldn't. His body was now aching for her and he didn't know how much more he could stand. Not being able to touch her was driving him even nuttier—it was taking more self-control than he knew he possessed.

She grinned even more as she looked up at him again as he looked down at her. She ran her hands up his sides and down again for a moment, and he hissed. He was on fire; there was no other way to describe it. "Teela," he said again, but she ignored him.

As she trailed her fingers up and down his sides one last time, she hooked them in his fur-pants and began to move them down his body. His tights remained where they were, but that didn't stop Teela from kissing down his legs as she pulled the furry apparel from his body. She then travelled back up, kissing him again, and he found himself shaking with the effort it took to control himself.

Fortunately, Teela didn't stop at the waistband of his tights. Instead, she traveled up his body and brought her lips to his again. She gave him a soft brief kiss and asked, "Do you want to touch me now?"

"Ancients, yes," he cried out.

She grinned and batted her eyes at him innocently. "Then, you can, but I'm still in charge."

He didn't have to be told twice. He immediately brought his hands around her body and held her to him tightly as they kissed. Then, his hands did their own exploring: they raked up and down her sides and then finally down her back to her posterior. So frenzied and lost in desire, he caressed each cheek simultaneously for the first time as he also pressed her lower body to his and began to grind himself against her.

Both gasped at the sudden feelings that shot through their systems and she gasped, "Wait! Wait!"

He closed his eyes and dropped his hands from her body. He groaned in frustration and whispered, "You're going to drive me mad, Teela."

She kissed him on the lips briefly and replied, "I only want to remove this armor." He opened his eyes as she lifted the armor off of her bodysuit. He took it from her and then set it on the floor as carefully as he could, considering his position on the bed. When he was through, she kissed him softly on the lips and said, "There, now metal won't be digging into you."

He breathed deeply to control himself and admitted, "I barely noticed. You, my dear captain, have bewitched me."

"Mission accomplished," she declared with a kiss and then a light scrape of her teeth on his jaw.

He moaned and began to wrap his arms around her again, but she pulled back once more and shook a finger at him playfully. "Not again," he complained. He wanted to continue to touch her.

"Oh, you won't mind this time, trust me," she replied with an evil grin. Once more, she kissed down his body and went back to his tights. Just like before, she kissed and licked around his waistband, but soon, he found her doing new things: she slid her hands down his hips to his knees and now she was traveling up his inner thigh as she bent before him between his legs.

He gasped as he sat up a little. "Teela! What are you doing?"

"You'll see," she replied as she began to move her body up his, but her hands remained on his thighs until their heads were level. Then, she brought one hand to his hip and the other very lightly brushed against his restrained manhood.

"TEELA!" he shouted. Her actions surprised him, even though that's what his body had been preparing for. He moaned and closed his eyes as she increased the pressure and rubbed up and down a little.

The restraint of his tights that were keeping him down was starting to become unbearable with her actions. He felt himself growing hotter and hotter by the moment. Then, she kissed him deeply as she continued her actions and he was lost. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and began moving his hips against her hand.

Eventually, though, she pulled away and asked softly, almost as light as air in his ear, "Can I take your tights off?"

He gasped at the question and pulled his head away so he could look at her. She was blushing from her head to her toes. "I thought you wanted to wait!" he exclaimed. Now, he was truly shocked.

"I do," she whispered; "I'll remain clothed. Remember, this is for you."

He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. Breathing deeply, he replied, "That hardly seems fair."

"I want to touch you, Adam. It would bring me pleasure. Let me," she whispered.

Moaning, he thought about it for a few moments and said, "Okay, but I'm not going to remain idle."

She smiled and kissed him as she began to push the tights down his legs. Once everything was down to his hips and he had sprung free, he moaned in both pleasure and relief, but he didn't do anything yet. He continued to watch her as she slid the tights from his body. She kept her eyes on his the entire time. Then, after several moments had passed, she asked tentatively, "Can I look at you?"

Swallowing roughly, he nodded. "Yes."

She sat back and ran her eyes down his body. Of course, her eyes locked to that one area she had never seen before and he watched her face worriedly, unsure what she was thinking.

"Teela?" he questioned.

She suddenly snapped her head towards him. It was obvious she had been lost in her thoughts. "You're gorgeous, Adam…all of you," she whispered.

He felt relief at her words, but he asked, "Really?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes," she answered. "Can I…touch you?"

He almost embarrassed himself right then and there. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm himself down. " _Quit acting like an overly eager and nervous virgin, even if you are one_ ," he chastised himself. When he was sure he was able to handle it, he looked at her again and answered softly, "Yes."

He closed his eyes again as she touched his bare skin there for the first time. He moaned loudly and bit his lip with every motion she made. Eventually, though, he had enough of simply receiving pleasure. He grabbed her and turned them both so they were lying on their sides facing one another. She continued to touch him and he quickly ran his hand up her legs over her hips. He then placed his hand over her abdomen and watched her eyes for any objection as he traveled his hand lower slowly.

When she didn't, he touched her there over her bodysuit for the first time more confidently and began to move his hand in motion with hers. Moans, kisses, and cries of pleasure soon filled the room, and Skeletor and his thoughts continued to be a distant memory.

=)=)=)

Some time later-they were unsure of how long exactly-Adam and Teela still faced one another and stared deeply into each other's eyes. "That was amazing!" she whispered as she grinned and leaned over to kiss him lightly.

"Yes, it was," he agreed. He ran his eyes down her still clothed body for a moment and continued, "You are amazing."

She grinned at him as she raked her own eyes down her body and asked, "Do you have something I can sleep in? I don't want to run to my room and risk running into others. I'm not putting my boots and armor back on to do it."

He grinned and pointed to one of his dressers. "I have plenty of t-shirts. They'll be huge on you, so they'll work as nightgowns. Take your pick."

She quickly kissed him before she sprung from the bed, went to the dresser, and picked out one of his usual white undershirts. He watched as she turned towards him, winked at him, and then went into his bathroom to change.

He stretched a little as he heard his shower turn on and began to get lost in his thoughts. He almost couldn't believe what Teela and he had done earlier. Oh, he was extremely happy about it, but when she had made the decision to not make love, he hadn't expected her to want to go anywhere near as far as they went. He loved that they did, though, and he loved her so much. He didn't think he'd have to worry about her regretting going this far, especially since it was her idea.

He looked at the bathroom door and waited for her to come out in his t-shirt. He couldn't wait to see that, but try as he might, his exhaustion caught up with him and he fell asleep.

=)=)=)

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he awoke to the sounds of someone crying out for him.

"Adam!"

He instantly knew who it was when he heard the voice again! It was Teela, and his heart jumped into his throat!

=)=)=)


	21. The Announcement

Teela's Visitor Chapter 21

He sat up in bed hurriedly and felt his heart pounding. Not caring at that moment about anything else besides Teela, he ran his eyes frantically across the room to find her. He didn't see her until he glanced down at his side.

There she was, sleeping peacefully beside him on his bed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. He could have sworn he had heard her yelling for him, but he quickly realized it must have been a dream…a horrible dream that was more than likely inspired by Skeletor's evil imaginings. Fortunately, he couldn't remember what the dream had been about.

After sitting there for several minutes trying to ease away his unsettled feeling, he lay back in bed and turned to face Teela. She gave him all the inspiration he needed to forget about everything but her. She was wearing one of his t-shirts and she was unbelievably cute: the collar was so large that her right shoulder was completely bare and she had to roll up the sleeves so her hands wouldn't be covered. He had the urge to lean over and kiss her shoulder, but he stopped himself. He didn't want to wake her up—she looked so peaceful and beautiful. He could stare at her for hours.

But instead, he looked down at himself and blushed. It was at that moment that he realized he was still undressed—he had fallen asleep waiting for Teela to emerge from the bathroom. At least he had his blankets thrown over him, so he was somewhat covered. Feeling awkward because he had never slept naked before, he got out of the bed carefully so he wouldn't wake up Teela and strolled to his closet. He grabbed one of his usual nightwear pieces and slipped it on over his head. He debated on whether he should take a shower but decided against it because he didn't want to wake her up and the water surely would.

Climbing back into bed, he lay on his side facing her and continued to simply watch her sleep. He couldn't believe his luck. He knew long ago that Teela was the love of his life, but he had also come to the sobering conclusion after He-Man had come into existence that they would never be together. He had believed she would never be able to see him in a positive light, because she had gotten into the habit of comparing him to He-Man. He had known that he would always fall short as Adam…

But now, he knew differently. She loved him. She loved him so much that she was willing to sleep by his side to make sure he was okay after he had a particularly hard day. She loved him so much that she was willing to give up some of her responsibilities with the Guard. She loved him so much that she allowed them to express their love in ways that neither one of them had experienced with anyone else.

He smiled as he thought about their earlier actions. She never ceased to amaze him and he had learned today that Teela was quite the seductress. If she had used those charms on him when she had first wanted to make love, he knew he would have given in right then. It was a good thing she decided to wait, though. Who knew that decision would lead to such a…pleasing alternative?

He blushed as he remembered Teela's touch. They had only been together for a short time and they were certainly new to the business of lovemaking, but she already knew how to touch him to drive him wild. And, he seemed to know what she liked, too. She hadn't really said just like he hadn't told her, but the moans and quivers that ran through her body earlier told him that he had done a good job.

He smiled at himself as he felt a burst of male pride swell in his chest. He never knew he could be so…primitive. He had listened to other men in the past brag about their sexual prowess and their skill to please women. He had always believed their behavior to be a little barbaric, but now he understood to a certain degree. Oh, he wouldn't go bragging to everyone like they did, but it did incredible things to his ego to know that he was able to please her as much as she did him. He laughed a little to himself quietly as he thought about himself being He-Man: he was supposed to be a barbarian, after all. It fit.

A hum brought him out of his thoughts, and he watched as Teela moved and stretched a little beside him. "Adam," he heard her mumble.

He wasn't sure if she was awake or not, so he scooted closer and stared at her face. Suddenly, a hand reached out from underneath the covers and rested on his hip. She opened her eyes and whispered, "I could hear you thinking."

He raised his brow, unsure of how to respond. Was she joking or was he projecting his thoughts accidentally? A blush settled on his face as he remembered exactly what he had been thinking…

She stared at him for a few moments and must have seen his worry or embarrassment, because she grinned suddenly and said amusedly, "I'm just playing. I felt your eyes on me, so I knew you had to be thinking about earlier."

She scooted closer to him, so he slipped an arm around her and held her close. "Yes, I was," he admitted. "I was thinking about how unbelievable it all seems. I never thought I'd be able to touch you or be with you and now that it's happening…"

"It's like a dream," she finished.

He nodded. "Yes, and it's one I don't want to wake up from."

She kissed him lightly on the lips and whispered, "You won't. I promise you that."

She snuggled beside his chest and mumbled, "Get some sleep, Adam. We have a big day tomorrow."

He grinned as he tightened his hold on her. "Yes, ma'am," he whispered teasingly. With Teela actually in his arms, he hoped it would keep any potential nightmares away. He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

=)=)=)

The next morning he opened his eyes to sight of Teela watching him. She had her head propped up by her arm and she was just staring at his face. He smiled and whispered, "Good morning."

She returned the soft smile and greeting. "Good morning."

They gazed at each other and Adam's smile morphed into a full-fledged grin.

"What?" she asked clearly amused.

"Oh, nothing," he replied. "I'm just happy that you're here. I like seeing you as soon as I wake up."

She reached out, grabbed his hand, and intertwined their fingers. "I do, too," she admitted softly. She scooted over and rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

He could get used to this. In fact, he wanted to but he knew it was nowhere near the right time for that. As a matter of fact, spending the night with one another was one of their courting rituals, but they were in no way doing it correctly and it was meant to be done only one time before they were married. He grinned as he thought of all the protocols they had to follow. Despite the fact that all the eyes of the people would be on them constantly, he was actually looking forward to courting Teela openly and experiencing all of the things he had read about. They just had to get things started by announcing their relationship…and that would happen today.

He grinned as he tightened his arms around her even more and glanced down at the top of her head. "Are you ready for our big announcement?" he questioned.

She nodded and turned her head to kiss the center of his chest. "Yes," she answered, "but I'm a little unsure about what will happen at court today. It wasn't in chapter one of that books of yours."

He scooted up to rest his back against the headboard, so she sat up to face him. "Court will start as it normally does," he answered; "Father will make his announcements. If anyone has anything to address with him, they'll do so. Half way through thereabouts, he'll stand and tell everyone has a big announcement to make. Then, he'll tell them. We might have to walk to the center of the floor before him or something, but he'll tell us what to do."

"So…should I wear a dress? I mean, this is the day that everyone learns we're courting, but the court is going to know something is up if I show up in a dress instead of my uniform." She looked a little worried.

He shrugged. "It's up to you. I don't care either way, but if you do decide to wear a dress, don't worry about them knowing something is up. Let them ponder and drive themselves crazy." He leaned towards her and kissed her softly.

She grinned. "What will you be wearing?"

"Probably my normal apparel," he answered with a shrug. Then, he smiled and said, "Well, I might wear a darker tunic for the occasion. I hadn't really thought about that aspect of things until you just brought it up."

She rolled her eyes and snapped playfully, "Typical. Well, I need to get up and get ready for the day. I'm sure King Randor has expectations even if you don't, so I can't look like a slob during this announcement."

"That's impossible," he replied.

She laughed a little and exclaimed, "Well, I'm glad you think so, but you're biased!" She leaned forward, kissed him, and got out of bed. She grabbed her uniform off the floor and headed for the bathroom to change.

=)=)=)

Teela had decided not to join them for breakfast so she could get ready for court, which would have taken place shortly thereafter. He had found that out from Man-at-Arms when he had sat down in front of him in the dining room.

From that point forward, time seemed to slow down significantly. He kept groaning and glancing at the chronometer on the wall once they had gotten into the throne room. After the fifth time of him doing this, his father called out, "Court will get started soon enough, son. You're driving us crazy with all of the noises you're making over there."

He folded his arms in front of him and blushed a little. "I'm sorry, Father. I'm just ready for Teela to get here and for court to start so we can get this over with."

"I don't doubt that," he replied. He looked over to Man-at-Arms and said, "Duncan, we might as well let the courtiers in."

Adam looked around and spoke rapidly, "But Teela's not here, yet!"

"She'll be here when the time is right," stated Randor with a wink to his mother. Adam knew at that moment that his father must have gotten to Teela at some point and told her when to show up. His father planned on making this into a bigger spectacle than it needed to be. He expected as much, but he wished it hadn't included keeping him _away_ from Teela for so long.

As he had predicted, court happened pretty much the same way he had told Teela it would. His father had made several random announcements about things throughout the kingdom and then opened the floor for questions if they had any. Afterward, the courtiers were free to mingle with each other if they so wished.

He had been going from group to group greeting people for almost half an hour before his father finally stood and cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. He held his hands up and said, "Friends, now that we've all socialized and said our hellos to everyone, I have a very important announcement to make, and of course, we wanted you to be the first ones to know."

He swallowed nervously as he looked for Teela. She still hadn't arrived.

Everyone was silent waiting for the king to tell them whatever he had to say. Instead, he turned to Adam and said, "Son, come to the throne, please."

As he approached, his mother and father descended the steps and met him at the bottom. He raised his brow at his father and whispered, "If we're going through all of this for just the courting announcement, what are you going to do when I get engaged?"

Randor laughed and replied softly, "Oh, it will be better than this, trust me."

He shook his head a little and turned around to face the crowd. He stood beside his father and searched for Teela one more time with no luck. He then turned his attention to his father as he spoke.

"I am very happy to announce the courtship of my son." There was a gasp and all of the women in court started whispering to themselves hurriedly. Randor held a hand up and the room silenced instantly. He smiled at his son and continued, "Prince Adam of Eternia has chosen to court a remarkable young woman that I have watched grow up right alongside him, and I have no doubt that she will make a fine princess and future queen."

He widened his eyes at his father. The short speech made this seem like an engagement more than anything else. The king suddenly turned to him and said, "Tell us who you have chosen, son."

He faced the crowd and stated confidently without missing a beat, "Lady Teela, Captain of the Royal Guard and Daughter of our Man-at-Arms."

More gasps were heard but they were suddenly drowned out by the sounds of the throne room doors opening loudly. Everyone turned around to see Man-at-Arms holding the door open. Standing in the threshold was Teela, and Adam found himself gaping at her right along with everyone else.

Teela looked like a princess. Literally. She was in a sleeveless light green dress, and it was so light that it was almost white. The bodice was tight on her torso but the skirt flowed out to the floor from her waist. Her long auburn hair was down but her bangs were held out of her eyes by a diamond-studded tiara that sat on the crown of her head.

He was suddenly glad he had chosen a fancier tunic and a pair of breeches instead of his usual ensemble. He would have definitely looked underdressed if he hadn't…and he was still lacking a little. His tunic was the rich red one he had told Teela about and his breeches were loose and a dark gray color.

"Well, go get her, son," his father whispered in his ear, breaking him out of the stupor Teela's presence had put him in.

The courtiers parted down the middle for him as he approached Teela. She grinned at him as he stepped forward and grabbed her hand which was covered by an extremely long white glove that went to her elbow. He smiled and whispered, "You look breathtaking, so beautiful."

"Thank your parents," she whispered back.

"I figured," he mumbled. He turned to face the court and tucked her hand around his arm as he led her to the front of the room.

Once they stood beside his parents, his father smiled brightly and announced, "Tonight we are going to have a royal ball to mark the occasion. All of you are invited to join us, of course."

The crowd started clapping enthusiastically. His father turned to him and winked before heading back up to sit on the throne. That was the sign that the announcement was over, so the courtiers took that opportunity to approach to congratulate them. Soon enough, the group dispersed and they all went back to the normal spots. Even Adam and Teela found themselves standing next to Man-at-Arms, but instead of commenting on politics like they usually did, they talked about themselves, the announcement, and the upcoming ball.

"Well, that was easier than expected," she mumbled softly. "All I had to do was show up in this."

He ran his eyes down her body in the most unnoticeable way he could manage. He knew Teela saw, though, since she was looking straight at him. "You do look amazing," he replied. "I definitely wasn't expecting it."

"But you like it, right?"

At that moment, he realized he no longer had to hide his feelings for Teela in public, so he brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek and answered, "I love it." He then bent and kissed her softly. The kiss was more than a mere meeting of the lips. Instead, Adam pressed his lips to her firmly and ran his tongue over her bottom lip lightly. When she opened her mouth, he pulled away with a grin. He wouldn't put on _that_ much of a display for the courtiers, but oh, he enjoyed Teela's response and the fact that she hadn't cared who saw them.

"I want you so much right now," he whispered in her ear as softly as he could. He didn't want Man-at-Arms to hear since he was standing right beside them.

She grinned wickedly and asked innocently, "Want to find a corner or an unoccupied balcony?"

His eyes almost protruded from his head and she laughed loudly. He suddenly knew she was teasing him and he smirked at her. "You better not play around like that. What if I had taken you up on your offer?"

"And risk your parents or the courtiers finding us? No, I don't think I had to worry about that," she replied smugly.

"Oh, really," he said, nodding a little and looking around. He then smiled innocently at her and mumbled, "To be continued." Before she could question what he meant, he asked casually, "So, I wasn't expecting a ball, but I think it's a nice surprise. What do you think?"

She shrugged. "Well, you know I'm not one for fancy social gatherings, but I suppose I'll have to get used to it. Besides, something tells me it's going to be a lot better now that I'll be on your arm instead of watching you dance with every woman in the room."

He smiled brightly and exclaimed, "Why, Teela, I do believe you sound a little jealous!" He leaned in closer and questioned softly, "Did you not like me dancing with other women?"

"Of course, I didn't," she replied as she glowered at the mere memories. "I often wished it had been me on those dance floors with you."

He pulled her into his arms and whispered, "You should have told me, Teela. I would have been attached to your hip all those nights if I had known."

She chuckled a little and stated, "But I think everything turned out for the best." She pulled back and stared at him. "This day, this moment, made it all worth it."

He brought one of her gloved hands to his lips and kissed it softly before motioning with his head for her to follow him. He led her to a nearby balcony that was attached to the throne room and saw a few couples out there. He cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me. I need to have a private word with…Lady Teela, but I can't leave the party. Would you be so kind as to give us a few minutes alone?"

The courtiers bowed or curtseyed and replied, "Yes, Your Highness." They went back into the throne room hurriedly, and as Teela stepped forward to go to the railing, Adam grabbed and held her to him. He leaned against the wall beside the throne room entrance so they wouldn't be seen.

She raised a brow questioningly in response to his actions, and he explained with a grin, "How about that? I found an unoccupied balcony. Continuation begins."

The widening of her eyes told him she realized what he was talking about.

She glanced around to obviously see if anyone was nearby as he moved her hair from her neck and began to kiss and suck on her skin just below her ear. She moaned a little and complained half-heartedly, "Adam, don't you think we're being just a tad bit impulsive? We might get caught any second."

He pulled back slightly and said, "You're the one who basically challenged me to do this. I guess that means I've won our little competition."

She narrowed her eyes. "What competition?"

He grinned, knowing he had her. Teela was very competitive and he knew it would be hard for her to admit defeat even if they both knew this was a ploy on his part to get on her nerves. "Oh, you know, keeping our word. You suggested that you wanted to find a corner or a balcony, and now that I've gotten one for us, you're backing out. That's not the Captain of the Guard that I know."

She narrowed her eyes even more but then said, "Fine. If you want to play it that way…" She quickly wrapped a hand around his neck to bring his lips to hers. She kissed him relentlessly, rolling her tongue around in numerous locations which left him breathless and wanting more. She then pressed her body to his and smiled as she gripped his backside teasingly. "Mmm, I don't miss the fur-pants a bit."

He moaned as he raked his lips down her throat and started kissing her skin above the neckline of her dress, but he suddenly stopped when he heard his father's voice. He tightened his hold on her and held a finger up as she opened her mouth to speak. Then, they could hear the conversation easily. They could tell his father was on the other side of the wall near the balcony entrance with someone from court.

"It is not my place to dictate my son's life. I refuse to do that," his father stated to whomever he was speaking to. He sounded slightly apologetic, which shocked the prince.

"Randor, we have been talking about this for quite some time. You liked the idea of merging our kingdoms."

Adam's jaw practically hit the floor as he recognized the voice: it was King Moraius from Morainia. The monarch had come to supposedly renew their peace treaty, but Adam hadn't realized that the king had any other interest in Eternos that day until now. He glanced at Teela as she looked up at him worriedly. "What are they talking about?" she whispered.

He shrugged because he didn't want to answer, but he knew. Merging their kingdoms could be done by three means: simply handing it over, taking it by force, or a marriage between the heirs of each kingdom. It was obvious his father and Moraius had plans for him to court and perhaps marry Princess Janice. She shook his head and paid attention again when he heard his father's reply.

"I never said that. What I said was if Adam liked Janice, I would have no problem with the union and merging our kingdoms. I told you I wouldn't oppose it—that's a big difference."

"Randor, you were willing to set up a meeting between the two of them. Adam likes Janice. I know he does. He's just confused, because he has the opportunity to live out one of his childhood fantasies. Captain Teela is a beautiful girl and I can see why he's infatuated by her, but they're from two different worlds. The union won't last. He would be much happier with someone of his own stature."

He heard his father clear his throat, and when he began to speak, Adam was shocked to hear that his father actually sounded a little angry. Moraius was one of his best friends, but of course, so was Man-at-Arms, and Teela was his daughter.

"My son met your daughter when he was nineteen and she was sixteen. I'll admit Adam spoke favorably of Janice when he came home from picking up those energy crystals. He spoke of her intellect and how no one had recognized how smart she was until He-Man and he had pointed it out to everyone. That's mainly the only things I heard about her from him. She hadn't transitioned out of that adolescent phase when they met. I'm sure Adam saw her as a very mature child. That's what I had gathered from our conversation. Now that Janice is a little older, I can see that she's grown and very much matured into a beautiful young woman that Adam might very well have looked at differently if he had seen her a few months ago, but he has already chosen to court Teela. And, as for them being from two different worlds, I resent that. Teela and Adam grew up together. She was never been treated inferiorly, and that's obvious from this very union. Adam loves her. He's loved her for many years, I suspect, so I am going to give them my full blessings. I already have."

"But Randor…"

"There's nothing else to discuss."

"Yes, there is! You don't hear the chatter yet, but I do. There are many people who are upset that Adam didn't chose among the aristocracy. I think they will try to cause problems for the young couple. Why not try to save Adam the heartache?"

Adam kissed Teela on the forehead when he saw her eyes swell with tears. He whispered, "I love you and I don't care what anyone says. I won't let them tear us apart." He silenced when he heard his father's response.

"Do you honestly believe that Adam will care about what those people think? He is my son, remember. I didn't care what any of you said about Marlena! Don't forget this family has been through this before and we persevered. Adam and Teela have even better odds because they will have Marlena and me beside them every step of the way. I appreciate your concern in this matter, and I am honored that you favor a union between our children, but I won't tell my son who he can and can't court. He's made his decision, so I'm going to support him. I'm sorry, Moraius."

No reply came. Instead, Adam heard the sounds of someone walking off rapidly. He stepped to the entrance and pulled Teela to his side. His father was standing alone sideways in front of him, shaking his head. The king saw the sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. He gasped as he turned and saw them. "Adam! Teela!" he exclaimed, worriedly.

Adam smiled at him and said quickly, "Thank you, Father. It means a lot to Teela and me to know that you're on our side if anyone has a problem with our relationship."

Randor stepped onto the balcony with them and sighed. "I wish you hadn't heard that. I was planning on handling any problems that arose and I still plan on doing that. I just want you two to focus on your courtship. I want you to have fun getting to know one another better and I want you to forget about everyone else and their opinions. I'll handle it."

Teela grimaced slightly and replied, "We might not be able to forget it. I'm sure they're going to let their opinions be known somehow."

Randor shook his head and stated, "The only person who has complained so far is Moraius. He says others have, but no one has come to me. He's just upset because he had gotten set on the idea of Janice marrying Adam." He looked at his son and then back at her. "But even if others do complain, which probably some will, don't let them ruin this time for you. Ignore it. I'll handle all of the official nonsense that they toss our way. Just live your life and enjoy yourselves."

Adam nodded and thanked him once more. When the king walked away, Adam escorted Teela back into the throne room.

"So, which one is Janice?" she asked casually, but Adam could tell she was still a little upset. Regardless, he knew he had to point her out. Otherwise, it would drive her crazy. He scanned the room hurriedly and soon pointed to his left. "See the girl with the yellow and brown dress standing next to a guy wearing similar colors."

She gulped audibly and whispered, "Yes."

He continued, "That's Janice and her brother." He studied Teela as she studied Janice and he could tell she didn't like what she saw. He looked back at Janice and saw immediately what his father had been talking about earlier. Yes, she had finally matured into a beautiful young woman. She still had her blonde hair and pale complexion that matched his, but she had grown taller…and filled out in certain places.

He cleared his throat a little and whispered, "Yes, she's a pretty girl, but she doesn't hold a candle to you, Teela. I don't love her. I never have and I never will. I love you and only you."

She turned to face him and nodded once in acceptance. He took her hand and placed it around his arm to escort her from the room. "Come," he stated with a brief kiss to her temple, "let's leave. We'll see these people tonight, so I'm sure Father won't mind if we slip out now. I want to spend a few hours with you alone."

They left the throne room, and Adam fervently prayed to the Ancients that what they had heard hadn't affected Teela negatively. He didn't want to lose her and he didn't know what he would do if he did.

When they turned the corner and were no longer in sight of the throne room, Teela quickly turned towards him, pushed him against the wall, and brought her hands around his shoulders to pull him to her. They kissed each other like their lives depended on it…

=)=)=)


	22. Life Doesn't Wait

Teela's Visitor Chapter 22

When he had first become He-Man almost two years ago, he had thought he would never be completely happy from that moment forward. He knew it was a horrible thought to have had, but he had known even then that he would always hate having to lie to his family and friends. He had also known he would hate all of the things that he would have to do to keep his secret. But since Teela and he had started seeing each other and she had become privy to his secret, he had found himself closer to absolute happiness than ever before.

Despite knowing her current reason for her frantic display of affection, he loved it every time Teela and he kissed. It was a miracle in his eyes, because for so long he thought it would never happen. He kissed her with every bit of passion that she was kissing him with at that moment. He held her tightly to him as he ran his hands down her sides and explored every crevice of her mouth. He only pulled away when they were both about to pass out from a lack of oxygen.

Breathing roughly, he rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I love you." When she repeated his words, he pulled away and looked at her. "Are you okay?"

She stepped back from him slowly and dropped her hands to her sides. "Of course." She bit her lip for a second and then whispered, "I just realized a moment ago how lucky I am."

He grinned and asked teasingly, "What? You're lucky to be with me?"

He wiggled his brow at her and puffed his chest up in mock pride, but he soon deflated when he realized she was looking at him seriously.

"Quite frankly, yes," she replied. "Do you realize what might have happened if you and I hadn't expressed our feelings to one another?"

He shrugged.

"You might be with Princess Janice right now, preparing for your first date. You would be going through all of these courting rituals with her. And, I know you, Adam. You would have done it for your father if he had asked or suggested it."

He frowned for a moment and said, "Teela, I hate to point out when you're wrong, but I'm afraid I have to right now. You couldn't be more wrong!"

She cocked her brow at him and folded her arms in front of her. He knew she was thinking that he was about to make up some kind of story, but he was going to tell her the absolute truth.

"I know me, and I would not have started to court Janice until I found out how you felt about me." He swallowed roughly as he looked down at the ground. When he lifted his head again, he explained, "When royalty courts, it's pretty much expected that marriage is already in the talks. It's rare when a courting couple doesn't get married, and when they don't, there are usually extreme circumstances. I would not have consented to court Janice without being one hundred percent sure that you had no feelings for me. I might have had to build up my courage to tell you how I feel, but I have no doubt in my mind that I would do it for you."

He could tell from her sudden look of relief that she believed him. She slipped back into his arms and they hugged each other tightly.

"I'm afraid you would have been stuck with me, no matter what," he insisted softly. He kissed her forehead.

"Thank the Ancients for that," she mumbled before staring into his eyes gratefully as they resumed walking. "Do you think there will be others who will oppose our relationship?"

He shrugged. He didn't like discussing this topic, because he didn't want to give her any reasons to call things off, but keeping her in the dark on such matters might be just as damaging, especially if she found out the hard way from those very people. "It's possible," he answered; "Like father said, people complained when he started courting my mother, so I think the courtiers will complain no matter what. If I had chosen Janice, I'm sure they would find reasons to complain about that, too."

She nodded and replied, "Well, I hope they get over it quickly enough."

He frowned a little and closed his eyes for a moment, wishing he didn't have to tell her the truth. "Actually, it probably won't stop until we're married. By that point, they will simply have to accept it or risk being charged with treason, among other things."

She arched an eyebrow. "Would you really do that? Charge someone with treason because they didn't approve of me, I mean?" She seemed very surprised.

"Probably not," he whispered, leaning towards her, "but they don't need to know that. The only way I would is if they went to the extreme and actually did things to you or me to tear us apart. Then, I wouldn't hesitate, but I honestly don't believe things will go that far. It's just jealousy, trust me. Until we're married they'll be campaigning for us to break up…not all of them, but some of them."

"I bet I could name a few off the top of my head," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "Some of them have been drooling after you their whole lives."

"I could name some, too," he admitted with a frown.

At that moment, they finally arrived to her bedchambers and she turned around to face him. "So, do you want to come in?" she asked with almost a bashful smile.

He knew what that look meant: they could pick up where they had left off on the balcony. But, he had other ideas. Because his father had made the announcement, he was sure the news of their courtship was spreading throughout Eternos with lightning speed. "Nothing would please me more, but there is something else we must do before the ball tonight."

"What's that?" She seemed puzzled.

"Well, if I know the Guard and courtiers, which I do, they're already telling everyone about us. The commoners will know soon enough. That means if we aren't visible to them for several hours at least today, they will get a little crazy. They can at least catch glimpses of us if we're in the courtyard. Otherwise, some might even try to sneak into the ball."

She widened her eyes slightly and exclaimed, "Do you actually think someone would do that?"

"It's happened in other kingdoms to other princes and princesses. They don't mean any harm—it's typically teenagers who do such things, but I'd rather like to avoid that, if we can help it, anyway."

She sighed and with a shake of her head, she responded, "I suppose we have to. Well, what do you want to go and do?"

He stared at her innocently. "Well, I thought I'd let you decide. The reason I led you here beforehand is because I knew regardless of whatever was chosen, you probably wouldn't want to do it in that gown. I don't have anything planned really."

She looked down at her outfit and then grinned at him devilishly.

" _Uh, oh! I know that look!_ " he thought to himself.

"No, I wouldn't," she agreed. "Wait right here. I think I know just the thing to help us pass the time as well as give others the opportunity to see us if they so wish." The conspiratorial grin remained on her face as she stepped into the room, but before she shut the door, she called out, "Better yet, you better go change into your normal attire, as well. You wouldn't want to mess that up. I'll meet you out in the hall in five minutes."

"Okay," he replied with a smile. He knew she was up to something. The question was whether he would like it or not. With her wanting him to change his clothes, he had a sneaking suspicion what she might suggest and he shook his head at the thought. It would be "so Teela."

=)=)=)

He stepped outside into the courtyard and immediately used his hand to shelter his eyes. It was midday and the sun was shining brightly without a cloud in the sky. It was beautiful day and he hoped it would be even better than the day before. Even though Skeletor had attacked Castle Grayskull and he had made the unfortunate mistake of trying to read his mind, the day had still ended well. Teela and he had shared even more with one another and he had fallen asleep with her beside him. Today, he hoped He-Man wouldn't be needed. He wanted to be just Prince Adam and enjoy the first official day of his courtship with Teela.

" _Is that asking too much_?" he questioned silently as Teela stepped to his side.

"I'm going to go get some equipment!" she announced excitedly. It turned out that he was right earlier—Teela had wanted to do the very thing he had suspected. She wanted to give him a combat lesson. He smiled to himself amusedly as he realized her knowing he was He-Man wouldn't get him out of this routine. Truthfully, he was glad. He couldn't count how many times a move he had learned from Teela had saved his life or someone else's. Both Adam and He-Man used them.

"Do you want me to come help?" he asked as he watched her walk off.

She turned around and seemed to scrutinize him. "I'm not sure," she said as though she were pondering something very perplexing. She tapped her chin several times and continued, "The question is if I let you help me, will we come back outside in a timely manner?"

He laughed heartily. He understood her contemplation. The equipment room had seemingly become their make-out spot over the last several days. Every time he had helped her put things away, they had ended up in each other's arms, among other things. To answer her, he shrugged with his smile shining almost as brightly as the sun. "That is the question, isn't it?" he asked happily.

She continued to stare at him for a few seconds more and then stated, "Oh, what the heck. Come on."

He grinned evilly as she walked away. Now, he would definitely have to make sure that room lived up to expectations.

As soon as Teela walked into the room, she headed directly for the mats that were propped up against the wall. "That looks promising," he said aloud to tease her.

She shot a sly look behind her shoulder and snapped playfully, "Behave."

He tried to wipe the grin off of his face, so he would at least appear to be annoyed with her, even though he really wasn't. "Who is the prince and who is the captain here?" he questioned as peevishly as he could.

He was surprised that she didn't have an immediate retort; instead, she finished pulling the mats down and then turned to face him. She looked him up and down and said, "I know you are inexperienced when it comes to matters between a man and a woman, but I never realized you were _that_ bad."

He watched as she tried to keep a grin off her face. It wasn't working very well. He didn't bother to hide his anymore. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged and said, "Well, if you don't know the difference between the prince who happens to be a man and the captain who happens to be a woman, then you're definitely over your head!" As soon as she was through speaking, she squealed in delight and he knew why. His jaw immediately dropped open.

"Why you!" he exclaimed as he ran to her and took the mats out of her hand. He tossed them on the floor and then stated with a raspy voice, "Oh, I do know the difference, but since you are questioning my ability, I suppose I'll need to demonstrate by examining things a little more closely."

Now, she squealed because he suddenly pulled her to him roughly and immediately ran his hand up her waist to her chest. He chuckled to himself a little as his hand made contact with her armor that covered her breasts since she was back in her uniform. He winked at her and said, "So far, my findings are inconclusive because this shaped armor could be a trick."

She laughed loudly at that and slapped him on the chest. "Adam, you nut!"

He shrugged and whispered, "Well, I do have to get you out of that somehow."

She stepped away from him and folded her hands across her chest. "Surely you know if this comes off, we won't make it to the courtyard in a timely manner and that will have defeated your whole purpose for leaving court early."

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, would you rather do this…" He kissed her upper chest above her cleavage as he held her in a reclined position. "…here? Or would you rather do it out there?"

It seemed like she was no longer playing as her hazel eyes turned a dark green and her face grew serious. "Here," she gasped as he continued to hold her.

He smiled as he simply dropped to one knee and carried her down the rest of the way. He laid her down on the mat and he raked his eyes up and down her body. "Now, let's see," he mumbled loud enough so she could hear; "Where was I? Oh, yes I was verifying that you were a female." His smile widened into a grin as he slipped his hand on the side of her knee and started traveling upward.

As he stopped on her hip and then started moving to grip her inner thigh, she gasped. His smile widened into a grin as he moved his hand back to her hip and traveled upward even more. He couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed Teela's annoyed and very disappointed expression. "All in good time," he whispered; "I do believe I was testing this area first."

He ran his hand to the side of her armor just under left arm and pushed the hidden release button. She hadn't told him where it was located, but he had watched her take it off and put it on a couple of times recently when she thought he was busy looking at other things. He wiggled his eyebrows at her astonished appearance and questioned, "Are you proud?"

As soon as she nodded, he sat her up and lifted the armor from her body slowly. Once he set it off to the side, he didn't waste any time moving his eyes across the area he was supposed to studying. "Hmm, you do seem to be a female…"

She immediately interrupted him and snapped, "Oh, for the love of Eternia, Adam, skip the acting bit and do something!"

Her cry and demand did crazy things to his body. His eyes shot up to hers as his entire body pulsed and throbbed with desire. He took a deep breath and informed her, "You don't know what you do to me, Teela." The truth was she didn't know how appealing she was to him when she was forceful and demanding. He knew why she was at those times, but he wasn't sure if she would approve…

After He-Man had come into existence and Teela had become a lot bossier and critical of him, he had thought once or twice about silencing her in those moments with a few demanding and forceful moves of his own and his ideas had never included anything verbal. Despite him remembering that rare and old desire, he did as she asked and moved very tenderly over her stomach and up to her chest. He cupped one of her breasts with his right hand before moving his fingers over her slowly.

She immediately moaned and he smiled in response before moving his hand to do the same to the other. He did this several times, alternating from one breast to the other, until finally he began squeezing and pinching her lightly. She arched her chest towards him as her neck fell back and he quickly took that opportunity lean over her. He kissed her between her breasts for a moment before he moved his hand to the edge of her bodysuit above her breast. He looked at her face cautiously, as he began to pull the material down. Because the strap was still on her shoulder, it lifted her exposed breast higher than a bra would have.

Despite his intense desire to look at his handiwork, he kept his eyes on hers. "Is that okay?" he asked. He knew that she would know he was referring to what he had just done.

"No," she whispered lightly, and he immediately widened his eyes in a near panic.

"Oh!" he exclaimed worriedly. "I'm sorry. I should have asked. He moved his hand to pull her suit back up when she reached a hand out to stop him.

"What I meant," she whispered, "is that it's not okay that you're not taking advantage of your actions yet."

Letting out an extraordinary amount of air that he had gathered into his lungs, he looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. When he looked back down and met her eyes with his, he said, "You have no idea how badly you just scared me. I thought I had ruined things already—I would have been apologizing for at least the next year."

She lifted a hand to his face and comforted him by saying, "You can never ruin things by loving me, Adam. Everything you do is done out of love. I know that, so I trust you and I will willingly go wherever you take us."

He gulped loudly. He caught the message loud and clear. She was okay with his actions, and she would be even if he began to make love to her in the truest sense, as well. He wouldn't be going that far, because they had made the decision to wait, but it meant a lot to him to know she was willing if he thought they were ready. After breathing deeply to calm himself, he leaned over her once more to kiss her lightly.

He didn't stay there long however because he didn't want to delay what she had so desperately wanted earlier. He kissed his way down her neck and made a beeline for her exposed breast. Kissing up the mound slowly, he finally made it to his target and began to lick and suck relentlessly as he squeezed and teased her with his fingers at the same area on her other still-covered breast.

"Adam," she gasped as she arched herself to him even more. She ran both of her hands through his hair several times before she moaned and exclaimed, "Ancients, I want you so badly."

He tore himself from his task and grinned at her. He then moved to her other breast, uncovered it like he had done with the other, and repeated his earlier actions with this one. Soon enough, though, he was rubbing his lips back up her neck to her mouth. They kissed for several minutes deeply as she ran her hands up and down his body.

When he pulled away, he was just about to tell her that he loved her when he felt the Sorceress' presence enter his mind. " _This is one of those moments where I'd rather not have you in here_ ," he stated silently.

" _I am sorry to disturb you and Teela, Prince Adam, but I must see you at Castle Grayskull immediately. There is an urgent matter I must discuss with you right away._ "

He looked at Teela and saw that she was looking at him questioningly. He knew she could tell something was wrong.

He sighed and asked silently, " _Is it Skeletor_?"

" _No,_ " she answered almost hesitantly, " _it's about the future…my future. I need to speak with you, Adam_!"

Feeling the severity of her request, he pulled away from Teela completely. He was worried, because the Sorceress didn't seem too happy. _"I'm on my way, Sorceress_ ," he replied. He glanced at Teela once more as she also sat up and touched his shoulder comfortingly.

Before he could say anything to Teela to explain his actions, the Sorceress said one last thing before she receded from his mind: " _Please come alone._ "

As soon as he was sure the Sorceress was no longer present in his mind, he turned back to Teela and whispered, "I'm so sorry. The Sorceress just contacted me."

She nodded and replied, "I could tell something was happening." After a worried pause, she asked, "Is everything all right?"

He answered truthfully. "I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. She wants me to come see her…alone."

She glanced to the equipment room door and asked softly, "You will make it back in time for the ball, right? Who knows what people will say if you miss your own party that's celebrating our union!"

He nodded and kissed her hurriedly. "Yes, I'll be back in time. I promise."

He stood and extended his hand to pull her up, as well. "I'm sorry to have ruined our evening again."

She shook her head. "Never say that," she whispered. "Your Eternia's Champion and the Prince of Eternia on top of that. I have a feeling that constant interrupting and changing of plans comes with the territory. I even experience that as Captain of the Guard." She kissed him on the lips one last time. "I understand. Now hurry up and leave, so you can come back quickly."

He nodded worriedly again and squeezed her side gratefully for a moment before he walked away.


	23. The Possible Future

Teela's Visitor Chapter 23

It was almost like a scene from one of those Shakespearean plays that his mother had told him about when he was younger: the skies around Castle Grayskull were dark and crackling with lightning and thunder. The wind was howling, almost as if it were a person who was in pain. It was almost frightening…maybe it was to some. Animals that were at the edge of the Evergreen Forest were scurrying away in the opposite direction. He was the only one actually going towards the castle.

His mother had told him a couple of times in the past that in Shakespearean dramas, the weather reflected what was going on within the play. While he knew this was real life and weather didn't make its feelings on recent events known, he couldn't help but feel that the weather was somehow fitting. He hadn't wanted to scare Teela earlier, so he hadn't shown the true amount of apprehension that he had actually felt.

The truth was he was downright scared. When the Sorceress had touched his mind earlier, he had felt her nervousness, and it was something that had never filtered through before to that degree. That gave him more than enough reason to worry.

When he finally arrived and stopped the AttakTrak, the castle immediately dropped its drawbridge for him. Without delay, he walked quickly into the castle and made his way to the Sorceress' throne room.

=)=)=)

She sat on top of her throne, and she looked like her usual self for the most part…except for her eyes. Yes, the eyes were most telling. They were slightly downturned and almost had a dark shadow to them.

"Sorceress?" he called out questioningly. Usually, when he walked inside her throne room, she would address him right away somehow. This time she hadn't moved a muscle and that further exacerbated his feelings on what was about to happen. When she still didn't acknowledge him, he looked around worriedly. He started to ascend the throne's steps, but as soon as he planted both feet on its base, his senses became engulfed with the thoughts of another:

_He knew where he was—he had been there once before. He was among the ruins of Dark Mountain and that could only mean one thing: Morgoth. He ran frantically through the shattered rocks and fallen debris to the location where he had once stood with the Sorceress to fight the evil wizard. When he finally got to the scene his eyes met with a sight too horrible to bear._

_He saw himself as He-Man lying on the ground unconscious next to a fallen Teela. The Sorceress stood over them and he could tell she was badly injured. She seemed to be favoring her right leg as she shielded them with her body. She shot an energy bolt at the villain and while it had fazed him, it had only done so for a mere second._

" _You are weak, Sorceress!" shouted Morgoth. "You no longer have enough power to fight me! Finally, I am to be free and claim what is rightfully mine: Eternia!"_

_Adam watched the scene and looked to the ground at He-Man. "Get up!" he yelled but he knew it was pointless. He knew no one could hear him. He was merely present in a vision. It wasn't happening yet. And, for that very reason, he was shocked to see what happened next._

_The Sorceress in the vision turned around and looked him dead in the eye. "Stop this," she said before a red light descended from the sky and obliterated her before his very eyes!_

" _No!" he yelled frantically. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed and it was at that moment that he noticed He-Man was finally getting up to stand…_

He felt himself falling out of the Sorceress' mind and just as he found himself merging with his own consciousness again, something else grabbed him:

_A little boy about five years old chased a green-and-gold baby tiger around the courtyard. Adam smiled as he watched the scene. His immediate thought was that the two were him and Cringer when they were younger, but upon further reflection he realized that couldn't be the case. He was much older when he had first discovered Cringer. His pet hadn't even been born yet when he was five._

_He walked closer to the boy and stared at his face. It was one he had never seen before, but he looked incredibly like him._

" _A.J.!" he heard a familiar voice call from inside the palace. He turned and watched in shock as he saw a slightly older version of himself walk outside. His eyes immediately zoomed in on the crown that his future self was wearing. A feeling of cold dread settled in his stomach when he realized this wasn't too far away in the future. He was still young and he was already king. His father was nowhere near the right age to step down, so that could only mean one thing…_

" _No," he whispered to himself._

_He continued to watch as his future self called for A.J. one more time and suddenly the child sprung out from behind a tree and yelled, "Daddy!" Both the boy and the kitten ran towards King Adam merrily, but all three stopped dead in their tracks and smiles faded when they heard the cries of a falcon above._

_The boy looked up and so did both Adam's. "Mommy?" he heard A.J. ask._

_Adam gaped at who was obviously his son and watched as King Adam pulled him into his arms. "No, it's just a falcon. It's not her." Tears swelled in the king's eyes as he stared into the sky again and the boy cried in his arms._

He opened his eyes and tears slipped down his cheeks slowly. The Sorceress kneeled beside him and asked, "Adam, are you all right?"

"I hardly know," he answered honestly. He sat up and swallowed roughly. After several moments of breathing deeply, he was able to think again and questioned, "Are you okay?"

She nodded and replied, "I think so. For several hours now, I have been receiving visions from the castle of Morgoth. I think I'm witnessing my death."

Adam nodded and replied, "I think I saw it, too. When I came in you were in a trance or something. You wouldn't speak to me. I started to go to you and…these visions overwhelmed my mind. I saw Morgoth make you disappear in a bright light but not before you turned around to face me, not myself in the vision, and told me to stop it."

The Sorceress nodded. "Yes, that's what I've been seeing, too…to the very detail."

He looked down at the ground for a moment and shifted his eyes from side to side several times before he asked softly, "Did you see anything else? You know, after that?"

She looked at him oddly. "No. Why? Did you?"

He nodded. "I saw…me in the palace courtyard. I have a son."

The Sorceress smiled with a nod and whispered. "A.J. Your mother will give him that nickname the day he's born after Teela names him."

Tears flooded his eyes as he exclaimed, "So, Teela is his mother! I thought so from my vision, but…there are so many things that I don't understand."

"The Elders only provide me with short moments in time. I never get a full picture, and for whatever reason they have given you a vision, I'm sure you didn't get a full picture either."

"No, I didn't," he agreed. "In the vision, my son and I heard a falcon and A.J. questioned whether it was his mother. It wasn't…and we both cried." He paused for a moment as a few tears fell. "What does that mean?"

"I haven't seen that vision, Adam," she replied softly. "This is the first I'm hearing of it, but if I had to take a guess, I think your vision is dependent upon mine."

He raised his brow questioningly.

"Because you were allowed to see my vision and you saw one of your own after you had seen mine, I believe yours will happen only if mine happens. After all, if I disappear and another who is worthy has not shown up to take my place, the castle will seek to make Teela its guardian. It will not matter that she has a life and child with you. You wouldn't have much choice…and I'm afraid just like I didn't want Teela to be raised in this castle with all the potential dangers it possesses inside and out, she will want A.J. to be raised elsewhere, as well."

A few more tears slipped down his cheeks as he considered all the horrible news the visions had given him: the Sorceress was dead, Teela had taken her place, they had a son together that he was practically raising alone, they both missed her terribly, and his father was dead or at the very least in a condition where he was unable to rule. That very much was a future they had to stop. The only question was how!

He snapped his head to the Sorceress and asked, "When will this confrontation with Morgoth take place?"

She shrugged and said, "It seems to be several years from now and that's what has me confused. Why are we getting these visions so ahead of time? It tells me that something much sooner will occur that will cause that future. We just have to keep our eyes open to figure out what that something is."

Adam nodded determinedly. Now that he knew for certain that he had a future with Teela and that they would have a family with one another, he was not going to let Morgoth take that away from him. He would find a way to stop it from happening. He had to—there was no other choice!

=)=)=)

A few hours later, Adam stepped into his bedchambers and stared at a garment bag that was placed on his bed. It was from the Royal Seamstress. Without a doubt, his mother was behind this and undoubtedly whatever was in the bag was something that would match Teela's outfit…

If this had happened earlier, he would have been amused, but now all he felt was a dull pain as he thought about the future. What if he couldn't stop the future that they were now heading towards? What if the Sorceress really died at the hands of Morgoth, which would cause Teela to become the Sorceress of Grayskull? He didn't want to have these thoughts, because it was making him question everything. Was it fair to bring a child into the world when he knew the boy would pine for his mother, that he would have such sadness? Was that even a question he was allowed to ask himself? He needed an heir—there was no question about that, and when he thought about children, he could only imagine Teela being their mother. But…did that make it right?

He sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands.

In the end, he realized that there was no way he could make the decision not to have A.J. It wasn't because he needed an heir, though. It was because he already loved the little boy that he had seen in the vision, and his son had looked happy when he was playing with his tiger. There were obviously happy moments in the child's life as well as despair, just like in any normal life. He had no doubt that if he fixed this problem, it would be replaced by another burden…but hopefully, the next one would be a little more bearable.

And, he had to believe that's what would happen. He would fix this somehow.

Feeling confident once more, he took a deep breath and grabbed the bag beside him. He unzipped it and smiled at the outfit inside. His parents were pulling out all the stops tonight and he was glad. He needed to get his mind off of everything for a little while. He just wanted to enjoy being with Teela and not let the pressures of the future make him question their relationship. All he knew was that he loved her and he didn't want to be with anyone else. So, he was determined to see this courtship through—he was determined to marry her…and then they would handle whatever happened from there together. After all, he was shown these visions so he could change that future. And, with the Sorceress and the powers of Castle Grayskull behind him, as well as Teela, he knew he could do it.


	24. The Ball Begins

Teela's Visitor Chapter 24

Once again it seemed as though his parents were keeping Teela away from him. How had Teela described their inevitable courtship once before? Oh, yeah: public displays of no affection. She was definitely right about that one. He found it ironic that announcing their courtship was supposed to open things up to them so they could spend more time together publicly, but it was doing quite the opposite. He had seen her far less today than he normally did…and that included the time before they had even become a couple, in fact.

And, today was definitely not a day he wanted to be away with her.

He thought about what he had seen in his earlier visions. As much as he worried about the Sorceress, his mind kept drifting to the little boy with blond hair and blue eyes.

A.J. He felt like his heart would burst open at any moment.

His son didn't even exist yet and it was possible that he wouldn't. The Sorceress did say that nothing was certain since decisions could easily change the future, but he hoped A.J. was one thing that would remain the same after they stopped Morgoth. He smiled as he thought about the way the boy had chased after his tiger and laughed in the courtyard when he had hidden from his father. Having a son seemed so surreal, and it was since he really wasn't a father yet, but he loved the little boy nonetheless. He couldn't wait to meet him.

He stood before his mirror and looked at the ensemble his parents had picked out for him. It was nothing like his usual attire at all, but he was actually glad of that. Because he was He-Man, he had adopted a more foppish style than he actually liked. Pink and lavender were definitely not his colors. It washed him out since he was already a pretty pale guy…and of course, that was another thing being He-Man caused. He enjoyed taking naps outside with Cringer when he could, but he always had to do it under a shade because he didn't want to risk getting a tan and looking too much like He-Man. Heck, he even took his natural voice up an octave to make sure he didn't sound like He-Man at all. He didn't even remember what his real voice sounded like or if he could even talk that way now.

He shook his head and immediately rid himself of those thoughts. Now was not the time to muse on the things that He-Man had made him do. Tonight was about Prince Adam and Teela.

Starring at his own outfit, he tried to imagine what Teela's dress would look like. It was practically impossible to know, but he had no doubt that they would look fantastic together since his parents wanted everything to be perfect. He was wearing a black pair of slacks with shiny black boots. His shirt was a dark cobalt that was somewhat tight across his torso to show off his physique but loose about the arms. The sleeves extended to his wrists in a plume.

The color did amazing things with his eyes: when he had first glanced at the mirror after getting dressed, his eyes had immediately grabbed his attention. They stood out brilliantly. He hoped Teela liked the look, because he was thinking seriously of switching over to something like this from this point forward. After all, people wouldn't connect this with He-Man. They would probably think the change was because of Teela and in a way, it was true.

He walked over to his bedroom door and opened it. He figured he'd go to the throne room to see what his parents were up to since Teela had seemingly dropped off the face of Eternia again. He had to keep his mind busy to forget about the visions and to pass the time until he saw Teela once more.

=)=)=)

If he had known what sights he would have been greeted with as soon as he walked into the throne room, he would have shown up a long time ago. He stepped inside, immediately went to his left, and leaned against the wall to watch the proceedings without disturbing anyone. Besides himself, there were only two other people in the room:

Man-at-Arms and Teela.

He was glad Teela had seemingly put aside her anger to actually spend a little time with her father. He had no doubt that she had done it for what she would call "the greater good." They appeared to be going over various dances, so he assumed Teela felt she need to brush up on her skills. Regardless of the reason, he was happy, because he didn't want to be the cause of any animosity between the two. He grinned as they started over and he heard Duncan counting steps for Teela. She started to lift her foot to step forward, but Duncan warned her with a little "tsk" not to move. Adam wanted to laugh because he should have known that Teela would want to lead instead of follow. He had danced with Teela once or twice before and she had done okay, but those opportunities weren't too often because she claimed she didn't like to dance. Now, he had a suspicion it was because she wasn't too comfortable doing it.

He watched as Teela and her father moved with the music and when Man-at-Arms stepped outward and twirled her, Adam's eyes met hers. She immediately gasped and stepped away from her father a little. Duncan quickly looked at him, as well, and Adam grinned. "Please don't let me interrupt you. I was just looking for Mother and Father when I saw you practicing." He walked forward and approached Teela.

He looked her up and down when he reached her and whispered, "You look amazing." As suspected, her dress did match his attire. It was a blue velvet dress with black patterns that almost seemed to resemble flowers when looked at in certain directions. It was beautiful against her creamy skin and made a nice contrast with her red hair. He could almost forget himself just looking at her, but instead, her father grabbed his attention.

Man-at-Arms chuckled a little and when they turned to look at him, he said with a big grin, "You tell us not to let you interrupt us, but then you come over and make it impossible to ignore you."

He felt his cheeks get hot in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," he said, backing away but Teela wrapped her arm around his waist and gave Man-at-Arms a steely glare.

"Father," she snapped.

Duncan continued to grin and looked at him. "I don't blame you, son." After a few seconds, he added, "As a matter of fact, I'm glad you're here. I think Teela would feel more at ease dancing tonight if she practiced with you a little ahead of time. What do you think?"

He immediately grinned. "I agree." He looked at Teela, but she didn't notice because she was still glaring at Duncan.

"Father, we were practicing so Adam wouldn't know how horrible I am at this!" she exclaimed.

He tightened his hold around her and responded to her before Man-at-Arms could. "We've danced together before. You're not horrible…besides, don't underestimate my skills as a dance partner."

He immediately worked his arms around her and easily got her in the position to dance. Without counting, he simply caught the rhythm of the music and began to lead her. Staring into his eyes, she followed his movements with ease. "You see, it's easy," he said after dancing for a little while and noticing that she hadn't stumbled once. The music then ended, and he immediately backed away and bowed at her as she followed suit by curtseying.

She grinned happily and said, "I think it's easy because I'm dancing with you." She paused for a moment and looked down a little shyly before she looked back up at him. When he looked at her questioningly, she explained, "The few times we danced together in the past, I had to concentrate to not look into your eyes. I thought for sure you would see how I felt about you and then we'd lose our friendship…and I didn't want to dance with anyone else, you see, so I started to hate the thought of dancing all together."

"Oh, Teela," he said, stepping forward again. He brushed his hand against her cheek and leaned down to kiss her lightly. "I wish you would have told me all of this back then. I feel like so much time has been wasted."

Then, unbidden, his thoughts returned to his vision of the future. If what he had seen came to pass, the time they had unintentionally wasted would be even more unbearable to think about. He breathed deeply to hold back the tears, but it didn't do any good.

"Adam, what's wrong?" she asked despite that he was sure no tears appeared in his eyes.

He forced himself to smile a little and stated softly, "It's nothing that needs to be mentioned tonight. We'll talk about it later. I want to enjoy tonight and simply be with you."

She studied him for a moment and asked, "Promise we'll talk about it later?"

Without hesitation, he nodded. He didn't know at this point how much he would tell her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this from her. It was her future, too, after all, and it would bother him more if he couldn't talk to her about it. Surely, the Sorceress wouldn't mind. Teela was already privy to the secret of He-Man, so knowing about his visions should be okay as well.

Duncan squeezed his shoulder and asked, "Are you sure it's something that can wait?"

He nodded again and stated firmly, "It will have to. Nothing is going to ruin this night for Teela and me. I've waited too long for this."

Teela wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

=)=)=)

The ball had already begun thirty minutes ago, and Prince Adam and Teela were the only ones who hadn't arrived yet. It was custom for the new couple to arrive stylishly late so they could make a grand entrance in front of everyone. Everyone was there to see them supposedly: Adam knew that there were other reasons, which were mainly political, for a lot of them, but this was still an important night for their courtship. He wanted to do it right.

He approached Teela's door and brushed his knuckles against it. "Teela, it's time," he mumbled softly. After Teela and he had finished dancing earlier, he had escorted her back to her room, so she could finish getting ready for the ball. She had claimed she had other accessories to put on and she had someone coming to do her hair, so he was anxious to see her. He knew she would look even more stunning.

When the door opened, he saw that he was right. "Beautiful," he whispered just loud enough that she could hear him.

She grinned and replied, "I'm glad you think so." She was still wearing the same dress, but her hair was down with the sides pulled back with a tiara like she had done before, but now it tumbled down her back in soft curls. As for her accessories, she wore black gloves that covered her forearms, and she wore a dark blue gemmed necklace and earrings that matched her dress. Not only that, her makeup was slightly darker than usual to match the darker ensemble. She actually looked a little dangerous…

He grinned at the thought. She surely did bewitch him and make him do things he wouldn't consider with anyone else.

"What are you grinning at?" she asked seductively. It was obvious she had an idea.

"You," he answered. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you on my arm tonight." He leaned down and kissed her lightly, but their passion quickly grew when Teela wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved a little to press her against the side of the door and they stayed there for several long enjoyable moments. He was conscious enough not to mess up her hair or makeup, though.

When they pulled apart, he moved to the side and wrapped one of her arms around his. "We better go now or we'll never get there. Believe me, I know my father and he will send half the Guard to find us if we take much longer."

She nodded without comment, trying to gather her wits after their intense kissing session. He led her to the ballroom quickly. The doors were still open and he stepped to the doorman just outside the room and said, "Prince Adam of Eternia escorting Lady Teela."

The doorman bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness." He then walked away to go inside and address the attendees.

Adam turned to Teela and whispered, "This is it: your debut as the prince's girlfriend. If you're not sure, this is your time to back out."

She smirked at him and he grinned. Then, he heard their cue: their doorman yelled out across the throngs of people, "Presenting Prince Adam of Eternia accompanying Lady Teela."

Before they even stepped into the room, Adam recognized the sound of everyone moving in tandem to face the entrance. Taking a deep breath, he led Teela inside and stood at the top of the steps for a second before turning with as much grace as he could muster to the left. Carefully, he helped Teela down the steps. Once they reached the floor, the guests started clapping. When he nodded and fanned his hand out to gesture that they could go back to their activities, the music started again and people went back to dancing.

Leading her across the room on the edge of the dance floor, he approached his father's dinner table. His parents and Man-at-Arms was already seated there. He pulled out a chair for Teela and then sat down after she did.

King Randor raised an eyebrow at them and inquired, "You're not going to dance?"

He nodded and whispered, "We will. I just wanted to give everyone a chance to get used to us being here. You know, if they want to stare at us for a while, they can do it at a distance and not run into us as we're dancing." When his mother chuckled, he exclaimed, "It's true! You know it will happen!"

"Oh, I know," she agreed. "Randor and I made that mistake after we had gotten married. I'm glad to see that you have a bit more common sense than we did, Adam."

He laughed, especially when his father's cheeks turned red. Then, figuring he would help the king avoid further embarrassment, he replied, "Well, to be fair, I've heard you and other royals tell plenty of horror stories about your courtships over the years. I paid attention, so I could avoid those things when my time rolled around."

Teela squeezed his hand and said gratefully, "And, I'm glad you did."

He nodded at her with a grin as a waiter came over to ask what they wanted for dinner. Eventually though, while they were waiting for their meal to be prepared, Adam finally rose from his seat and bowed at Teela. While still bent, he met her eyes with his and asked, "May I have this dance, my lady?"

She smiled softly and answered, "Of course, Your Highness." She winked at him as his smile widened. He straightened his posture as he extended his hand to her and pulled her to her feet.

=)=)=)


	25. The Future that Might Have Been

Teela's Visitor Chapter 25

Never in all of the years that he had daydreamed about Teela did he ever believe his imaginings could become a reality, and yet they were. He was holding Teela in his arms as they swayed together slowly to a song about everlasting love. The moment was utterly perfect—he stared into Teela's eyes and saw the love that shined brightly in them as she smiled at him. He could see nothing else, only her. Everything and everyone else just faded away as he guided her effortlessly on the dance floor. He loved her so much.

The song ended all too quickly, and the crowd clapped as they turned to the live band that his parents had hired for the night. Adam and Teela didn't clap. They merely continued to stare at one another and it took them a couple of seconds to realize that the band was taking a break and people were leaving the dance floor. The couple blushed a little and laughed at each other. "Would you like something to drink?" asked Adam as he escorted her back to the table. Drinks did come with their meal, but it hadn't arrived yet. Refreshments were on the other side of the room.

When he pulled out the chair for her and she sat down, she looked up and nodded. "If you're going to get yourself something, I won't complain if you bring me something back." He grinned and bowed flawlessly before he turned around and walked across the room.

He didn't cut in line like he had the right to do; he waited patiently to get to the punchbowl, but once he arrived, he found himself in a situation that he would have rather avoided. Princess Janice stood nearby and was talking to the waitress serving the refreshments. When he came to stand beside her, she exclaimed, "Prince Adam! It's so good to see you again!"

He smiled politely. He knew she probably didn't know what their fathers had discussed earlier. For all he knew, she might not even know that her father had been playing matchmaker, so he refused to treat her any differently than he had before. "Hello, Janice," he greeted.

She fanned her hand out over the festivities and remarked, "This is a beautiful party. Teela sure is one lucky girl."

He flashed Janice a genuine grin and replied, "Trust me, I'm the lucky one. I never thought in a million years this night would come and now that it has…it's like a dream."

Janice looked down at her cup as Adam moved aside to let the line continue. He stood beside her and commented, "I'm glad you and your brother could come with your father to see Eternos. When I was in Morainia, I was captivated by its beauty—I hope Eternos was worth looking at. It might not be as beautiful, but it's…"

"Oh, it's a beautiful city, Adam," she interrupted. "It is so different from Morainia, but that's a good thing. I like the warmth here, whether it's the colors or the weather." Silence soon developed, so Adam decided to take that opportunity to leave.

"Well, I should get this to Teela…" he began, but he cut himself off when he heard her next words.

"You know this ball was planned weeks ago."

Startled, he lifted his brow and widened his eyes a little. He shook his head and countered, "I don't see how that is possible. Father didn't know about Teela and me until several days ago. He couldn't have been planning this ball for weeks."

When Janice sighed, he suddenly knew what she meant and he hoped desperately that she wouldn't explain. He didn't want the situation to get any more awkward than it already was now. No such luck.

"Our fathers wanted to throw this ball, because they wanted you and me to…interact."

He looked down as he realized he had no choice but to talk about the sudden presence of the elephant in the room. He admitted, "I overheard our fathers speaking earlier today. I heard that they had favored a union between our kingdoms through a possible courtship…between us." He looked up at her. "I'm honored that your father believed me to be worthy of courting you. Trust me when I say I had no idea your father looked so favorably upon me."

She smiled a little sadly and suggested, "Well, it probably had something to do with the fact that his daughter looked so favorably upon you."

Silence once again grew at that comment. Adam shifted on his feet restlessly. He knew what her words meant: she had known about her father's plans to set up a courtship between them. Not only had she known, she was okay with the prospect. For all he knew, _she_ might have been the one to have initially suggested it to her father. He swallowed and replied, "I'm…flattered…but I love Teela." He gripped the cups in his hands a little tighter and then announced, "She needs her drink. It was nice talking to you, Princess Janice." Without waiting for a reply, he walked away and headed back to his table.

When he got back, Teela was all smiles as he sat down. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed him speaking with Princess Janice. He knew because he was sure she would have been a little upset otherwise. He breathed deeply for a moment and tried to think about something, anything else, besides Janice's—he knew what he had to call it—"come on." He knew it had been an attempt to see how devoted he was to Teela. She had been testing the waters to see if she had any real chance to steal him away from his current girlfriend. It wasn't going to happen and he didn't want to think about it anymore.

To distance himself from it, he forced himself to think about the Sorceress' visions. He would ignore his own, because he knew he would get swept away in those thoughts and have a harder time to return to the party when he had to. But as he contemplated Morgoth and his family joked and laughed around him, his thoughts drifted to the Sorceress' earlier visions from several days ago, which proved to be just as distracting as he thought his vision would be. He didn't know exactly what the Sorceress' earlier visions had consisted of. She had refused to tell him any specifics, but he did remember the Sorceress stating that before he and Teela had become involved that his future had been full of happiness…that he was the King of Eternia and that he hadn't been married to Teela. When the future had become invisible to the Sorceress, he had made the comment that their relationship must have changed a big event in the future and at the time, he had no idea what that big event could be…but now, he knew.

If Teela and he hadn't admitted their feelings for one another, tonight would have been the beginning of his courtship with Princess Janice. He looked across the room at her as he realized she would have been his future wife if Teela and he hadn't put themselves on a different path. For some reason, he didn't have any doubt in his mind that his thoughts were true. He didn't know how to feel about his epiphany. He also felt extremely guilty for even realizing it or even thinking about it in the first place, but he couldn't help it.

He brought his hands to his face and rubbed it wearily.

"Are you okay?" he heard Teela whisper in his ear.

He looked at her, smiled softly, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered. He then leaned in closer and whispered, "I love you and I want you to know I'm so glad that we changed the future so we could be together."

She looked at him oddly for a moment. He knew she was questioning why he was picking that moment to tell her that, but he couldn't explain now, nor did he know if he should. They had so many other things to discuss concerning their future, and sharing this would only serve the purpose of bringing out the green-eyed monster in Teela. He knew that would happen regardless of the fact that there was now nothing to be jealous of. Taking another deep breath, he realized this realization was definitely one he'd keep to himself. It would cause a lot of unnecessary trouble otherwise.

He slipped his hand under the table and placed his hand on Teela's left leg just above her knee. When she flashed him a warning, he grinned mischievously. He hadn't even been thinking about playing with her in such a manner…but now he was.

=)=)=)

King Randor rose from his seat and used his fork to tap against his wine glass for a couple of seconds. Everyone stopped speaking and moving and turned their attention to the King of Eternia. He looked around the room to presumably make sure he had everyone's attention. Then, he raised his glass and said, "I would like to propose a toast to my son and his...consort."

Adam raised his eyebrow at his father's word choice. The truth was he hadn't known what to call Teela himself after they had started courting either: "girlfriend" didn't seem to be intimate enough, but he had resigned himself begrudgingly to use it; "lover" implied things that just weren't true in their case yet; "significant other" also didn't seem intimate enough; "friend" surely didn't cut it; and "consort" usually referred to a king's wife, but it could mean a "companion" as well. He supposed it was the best word choice, though. At least it implied the level of intimacy he felt towards Teela. He smiled at her as he noticed the intense blush she had on her face. It was obvious she had noticed the king's choice of words, too.

"I have watched my son over the years and have always hoped he would find someone to love as much as I love Marlena. I watched him carefully avoid courtship throughout his teenage years and even avoid talking about it…"

Adam cringed and closed his eyes as he snapped softly, "Father!"

The king laughed and commented, "And, now, he's getting on to me for embarrassing him. No, the truth is that I know Adam wasn't avoiding courtship—he was waiting for the right woman." He turned to look at his captain. "That woman is you, Teela, and when I look at Adam when you're together, I see the same happiness I feel when I'm with his mother. I'm so happy that you two have found one another and I wish you all the happiness in the world. I can't wait to make the engagement speech already."

Adam looked down and shook his head as most of the room laughed loudly. He wasn't really embarrassed—mainly, he was shocked. It seemed like the entire world felt as he felt. It seemed like everyone knew how…perfect they were for one another and that there was no point in denying what the future held for them. Courtship was just a formality that needed to be endured. Marriage was inevitable and the entire planet knew it, just as he did. Or at least that's how it seemed, especially with his father and mother.

When the attendees began to clap, King Randor held up his glass even higher and said, "To Prince Adam and Lady Teela!"

The crowd repeated the phrase and everyone took a sip of their wine. Adam smiled at Teela as she smiled back and he inched his chair closer to her. Almost absentmindedly, he placed his hand back on her leg and gave it a comforting squeeze through her dress. When she gasped, he became more aware of his actions and grinned widely.

"Thank you, Father," Adam said as his father sat back down at the table. At that same moment, Adam rubbed his hand up and down her leg above her knee and then drag his nails lightly across the same area. He felt Teela squirm, but she tried her best to hide it. He glanced over at her and noticed the stern look she was trying to flash his way, but it failed miserably under the unmistakable lust she was feeling.

He looked back at everyone at the table to see if they noticed what they were doing. Once he assured himself that everyone was blissfully ignorant, he chose a new path for his hand. He raked his hand over the inside of her thigh and then squeezed her flesh there a couple times. Then, he noticed Teela inch her chair ever so closer to him so that he had better reach. He grinned at her actions. He had a sneaking suspicion of what she wanted and while the thought tempted him, he knew there was more fun to be had later if he waited.

Bringing his hand up as high as he dared, he rubbed and squeezed her inner leg but didn't go any farther than that despite Teela's soft groans of protest every so often. By the time the ball was over and the guests were leaving, Adam had himself at such a fevered point that he didn't know how he would hide his state or get back to his bedchambers.

He could tell Teela knew of his dilemma and she laughed at him teasingly. She was in the same state, but she could hide the fact a lot easier than he could. She reached her hand out to him, and he took it trustingly and allowed her to pull him to his feet. Forcing Adam to stand behind her, she used herself as a human shield as they made their way across the room. They stopped only once to wish their parents a good night, but then they hurriedly went into the hall and walked as quickly as they could back to the Royal Wing of the palace.

Once they got within several feet of their bedchambers, he couldn't stand it anymore. He turned to her abruptly, forced her against the wall, and kissed her deeply while he rubbed himself lightly against her. As Adam robbed Teela of all of her breath, she lifted her head back so he could move his lips to her neck. When he did, she gasped, "Adam, your bedroom before our parents come."

Despite the fact that he was almost to the point of no control, he heard her words and complied with her wishes. He pulled her down the hall and opened his door. As soon as she stepped inside, he followed her and locked the door behind him. Before she could even cross the room, he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "Ancients, I should have known better than to try to torture you. I only managed to torment myself," he mumbled into the side of her neck.

She leaned her head back and raised her arm to hold the nape of his neck and keep his head where it was. Adam took that opportunity to lick and kiss her neck as he ran his hands up and down her sides before exploring her stomach. Gasping a little at the sensations he was able to produce in her, she whispered, "Oh, you managed to do more than torment yourself. You did the same to me."

She turned around in his arms finally and continued, "I want to spend the night again."

"Whatever my lady wishes," he whispered and she immediately reached her hand to the back of her dress and unzipped it. Like the last time she had unzipped her dress in front of him, she allowed it to fall to the floor and once again, she was in nothing but her underwear and bra. This time, though, instead of them being lavender, they were blue and black to match her dress.

He closed his eyes for a moment and moaned at how the dark colors made her soft creamy skin stand out in an almost luminous glow. He wanted her desperately. "Teela, I want you," he whispered.

She moaned at his words and walked back into his arms. "And, I want you," she whispered.

He was so tempted to make love to her right then. He knew she would let him, but he didn't want to do anything that might mess up their future. He already had enough to worry about without possibly adding to it. Teela had legitimate fears earlier as to why they shouldn't make love and he couldn't ignore that just because they were now in a near-carnal frenzy. So, instead of removing her underwear and making deep and passionate love to her, he slipped his hand between them and placed it on the one place where he knew she had wanted it all night.

"A-Adam!" she gasped in a high-pitched voice as she rocked against his hand. He almost lost himself then and there but managed to control himself and continue to watch her as he moved his hand in various speeds to see her reaction. Eventually, though, Teela had enough of his teasing, forced his hand away from her, and managed to strip him down to his underwear. She left that article of clothing on him and wasted no time in lying down on the bed and pulling him to her. He was glad he hadn't been wearing his normal attire, because now they didn't have his tights between them. In these pair of underwear, his legs were now bare to hers and they could feel each other in yet another new way tonight.

"Adam," she begged.

He knew what she wanted: he wanted the same desperately, so he carefully placed himself over her and used his bottom portion of his body to rub against her slowly. It obviously wasn't enough for Teela, because her next movements surprised him. She moaned loudly and wrapped her legs around his waist as he hovered above her. She brought his body down on hers completely and wiggled herself around until she got him just where she wanted him. Then, they resumed their earlier actions but at a slightly faster speed.

Teela closed her eyes and wrapped a hand around Adam's neck as he began to moan right along with her. "Teela," he whispered a short time later, "I love you."

A whimper escaped her throat and she cried out a little louder than he did as her back arched off of the bed, "I love you, too!"

=)=)=)

Sometime later, Adam still laid on top of Teela, because she had refused to remove her legs from his waist. Currently, she was weaving her fingers through his hair and they both seemed to be fighting off sleep.

He didn't know what was running through her mind, but he could almost feel the worry there as she held on to him tightly. It was like she didn't want to let go…ever. "You know I love you, right?" he asked softly.

He felt her head nod beside his.

"Then, why do I feel like you're worried about losing me?" he questioned.

He heard her sigh and she whispered, "Because I am."

He lifted his head to look at her and she slipped her legs from his waist. He stayed where he was. He wouldn't move for the world after what she had just said. "Why?" he asked.

She shrugged slightly and answered, "Because I know something is bothering you, something that you didn't want to share before the ball. You didn't want to ruin our night which means it is bad enough that you thought it would."

She had always been able to read his emotions like a book. He smiled despite the sigh that escaped him. "Not all of it is bad," he admitted. "There are just some things that I need to correct as He-Man to make the future…better."

She slipped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down to her once more. As he lay there, she replied, "I know we're both tired now, so it's not the appropriate time to talk, but…we will get that opportunity tomorrow, right? Perhaps during our first outing? It's a time we're supposed to get to know one another better, but I'm not too sure how honest we can be with each other with a chaperone present."

He worked his arms around her waist and held her tightly as he rolled over onto his back. He brought her with him so she could rest on top of him. He kissed the crown of her head and whispered, "The carriage is large and quite long. We won't be right behind the chaperone, so yes, if we whisper, we'll be able to discuss things. We'll just have to choose our times wisely when we're actually in the city. We don't want to talk when the citizens are too close."

Feeling the need to brighten her thoughts of the event, he tightened his hold on her and exclaimed, "I'm looking forward to our first outing! I honestly can't wait!"

She finally lifted her head and he watched as her sad expression morphed into one of relief and then happiness. He knew she was dreading the entire thing because she was expecting to be told bad news during it. Even though he did have some bad news to share, he didn't want her to dread their first "date." He decided at that moment that he would tell her before their carriage ride to get that out of the way. They could then use the outing to make themselves feel better about everything. He still hadn't decided just how much he should tell her about the Sorceress' visions and especially his, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to tell her about A.J. At the very least, he wanted to mention that they had a family together. That would certainly calm any anxieties she might have about anyone trying to stop their courtship and eventual marriage. He knew she feared that, especially after she had heard his father's discussion with King Moraius.

He smiled happily as Teela rested her head on his chest again and mumbled tiredly, "Then, I can't wait either. I can't wait to simply be with you and talk. Do you think tomorrow will be a good day?"

He knew she was fishing for some information, trying to see if he actually had bad news to share and he was simply trying to play it off for tonight. He chuckled at her—sometimes she was so predictable. He loved her so much. He held her tightly again and answered, "Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day. I don't have a doubt in my mind."


	26. Speaking of the Future

Teela's Visitor Chapter 26

As much as he dreamed about this, reality exceeded expectations. He lay in bed on his side and he could do nothing but stare at the sight before him. Teela was in his bed again. Her hair was down and hanging loose about her neck, and even though it was probably crude to say it, that hair style always turned him on. It was probably because he so rarely had the opportunity to see it like that. So, now all he could do was soak it in for as long as he could.

She was also in one of his t-shirts again. After they had talked a little the night before and he had calmed her anxiety, they had cleaned themselves up and put on their sleeping attire…separately. He didn't think they could handle going into the bathroom together completely naked and jumping into the shower or his tub. The temptation might have proven to be too much, so they had taken turns.

That lure may have been great, but he wasn't sure if this had an even greater pull on him. It almost seemed that way. He was getting a preview of the future in real life—it wasn't in his mind this time. He could imagine that when they were husband and wife, they would have plenty of moments just like this. He could imagine always waking up in the morning, staring at Teela beside him, and thanking the Ancients for allowing it to be possible.

His mind drifted to Janice—she was the other road he could have taken. She was a nice enough girl. She had grown a lot since he had last seen her. She was a very beautiful young woman now, and he wouldn't lie to himself. _IF_ he knew Teela didn't love him and there was absolutely no chance of them being together, he wouldn't have minded pursuing a relationship there. He had no doubt in his mind that's what happened to give the Sorceress the future she had seen initially. He had believed Teela was out of reach. He had believed that on the very day he had gone into her room to make sure she was okay after missing that battle at Castle Grayskull. He was so thankful he had lost his mind for a split second and told Teela exactly what he was thinking at that moment. If he hadn't, things would be a lot different right now.

He smiled at Teela and his expression widened when she suddenly opened her eyes. She immediately smiled back at him and stretched a little. "Hmm, hey you," she mumbled as turned onto her side to face him.

"Hey," he greeted her back softly.

"How long have you been watching me?"

He wouldn't lie. "To tell the truth, I don't really know. It could be minutes or hours. I didn't really keep track of time."

The look in her eyes told him she was pleased with his answer. Her eyes brightened significantly and her smile deepened and even showed a little teeth. She reached her hand out and grabbed his. She simply held it and intertwined their fingers.

"I like this," she whispered.

He nodded at her. "I do, too. I know I keep saying this, but I can't believe all of this is actually happening."

"I feel the same way," she agreed as she wiggled herself a little closer to him. "If I could spend every night in here, I would, but I know we better not press our luck. It's surprising no one has caught us yet."

He shrugged and said, "Well, for all we know, our parents might already know you're in here." He couldn't help but laugh at her horrified expression. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a little. "Ah, come on, Teela. They already think we're having sex. They know you have to be with me at some point for us to being doing that."

She blushed scarlet. "I hope they don't. That's…just too embarrassing."

He rolled onto his back and asked, "Would you rather me set the record straight? I can tell everyone who will listen that we're not making love. I don't want you to worry about your reputation at all, Teela. I would protect yours more fervently than I would my own."

She didn't reply right away and since he wasn't looking at her, he was surprised when she suddenly slid over him and placed a leg on each side of his hips. She leaned down on him but stayed just enough apart so they could still look at each other without any problems. "Adam, I'm not worried about that. We have been very discreet and I know our parents would also protect our doings. I didn't say that because I'm concerned. I'm legitimately embarrassed thinking about my father knowing what we do." She paused for a moment and then added softly, "And, as for you setting the record straight, I'm afraid you can't."

He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"You can't, because we do make love." She leaned down and pressed her lips against his lightly. "What we did last night and all of these other times…Adam, I feel as though we're making love. We're sharing ourselves, and the emotions are just as they would be if there was actual…penetration." She blushed at the last word.

He couldn't help the tears that rushed to his eyes. He didn't want to seem overly sentimental, but at times like this, he couldn't help it. Teela often told him she loved him since all of this had begun, but this was the first time she had spoken _about_ their relationship…and what she said was beautiful. At least to him, it was.

"I feel the same way," he admitted after he pulled himself together. He then reached up and wrapped his arms around her. She laid down on his chest completely and they simply held each other for a while. Eventually, though, Adam realized he would have to interrupt the peacefulness they had seemingly found to talk to about the visions he had seen. He knew he couldn't put it off for much longer. He wanted to get this over with and out in the open before their first royal outing.

=)=)=)

Rubbing a hand up and down her back comfortingly, Adam tried to think of a good way to begin this conversation. Should he start with the good news or the bad news? What should he share and what shouldn't he share? There were endless possibilities of what he could say. He supposed he could contact the Sorceress for advice, but truthfully, this was their relationship and he wanted to handle it between them and no one else. He wasn't sure if that was selfish, but that's the way he felt.

He took a deep breath and just when he was about to open his mouth to say he knew not what, she interjected, "Stop fretting and just say it, Adam! You'll feel better and then we'll carry the load together." She lifted her head off his chest and looked into his eyes. "I've said it before and I'll say it again: you're not going to handle these things alone ever again! I mean that!"

He grinned and hugged her tightly. "I love you!" he exclaimed with a laugh. He was amazed at how well she knew him. She hadn't even been looking at him and yet she knew something was troubling him. And, she knew just what to say to make him feel a lot better about things.

She grinned, as well, and replied, "I love you, too. Now, tell me what's going on."

He started to sit up, so she brought her legs back from around him and sat beside him, facing him. He stared into her eyes for a second before he began speaking. "I know we haven't really had a formal discussion about it, but I'm sure you've figured out through discussions in your presence that He-Man and I have developed a new…ability. I can read people's minds. Well, I'm not sure, but I think because of that it has branched over into some other mental areas. I don't know. In any case, when I went to Castle Grayskull yesterday, I saw a vision that the Sorceress had…and then I saw one of my own that she didn't." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "I won't lie. There were some bad things in them, but there were some good, as well."

They stared at each other for a while before she finally spoke again. "Tell me the bad news first."

He sighed. The moment had arrived, and he decided to do what she said: just tell her. "In the Sorceress' vision, I watched her die. You and I were there, but we couldn't stop it. It looked like she died protecting us."

Teela gasped. "What? Who kills her? Skeletor?"

He shook his head. "No, it's a wizard by the name of Morgoth. It's a long story, but let's just say the Sorceress has had a run-in with him before when she first became the Sorceress of Grayskull and since then with me. He's very powerful."

She frowned and then stated firmly, "Well, we'll stop him. We have to!"

He nodded. "Those are my thoughts exactly."

They both quieted down again and eventually Teela asked, "What's the bad news in your vision?"

He looked down and said, "Well, in order to understand the bad news, you have to know the good news first."

She stared at him and didn't utter a word. He knew she was waiting for him to tell her. "In the future, you and I will be married and we're going to have a family together."

Her reaction was everything that Adam could have wanted. She smiled brightly and immediately kissed him deeply. She ran her hands through his hair and pressed her body closely against his. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. When they finally pulled apart, he moved his hand to her cheek and whispered, "The bad news is that because the Sorceress of Grayskull died at the hands of Morgoth…you had to take over, just like you did that time when the Sorceress was missing. I'm king in the vision, and I have no doubt that your future self didn't want our children to be raised in Castle Grayskull with all the dangers there, so…we're not together. We live apart and we miss you."

Tears filled both their eyes. She shook her head and said, "I won't leave you. That vision is wrong! I make the decision right now to stay with you and our children!"

He shook his head. "Teela, you say that now, but what if you have no choice? What if you're the only person who is able to take over at that time? The castle can't be without a guardian. Skeletor or some other villain could learn its secrets and take over all of Eternia if that happened. I know you, Teela. You would put the greater good of Eternia first." She frowned at him and he said hurriedly, "You would have to, Teela! It would be the right thing to do. After all, staying with us wouldn't do any good if we're all enslaved or killed by whoever takes over."

As tears slipped down her cheeks, she slipped her arms around him again. He held her tightly as he rocked her back and forth. "We just have to make sure I'm not put in that situation. We'll have to protect the Sorceress. We have to stop this Morgoth."

He nodded. "We will, and we do have an advantage. We know what's coming and we can take steps to stop it. I don't know how yet, but the Sorceress and I will figure it out somehow…"

She pulled back and nodded confidently. "I have no doubt that you're right. After all, when has He-Man ever let me down?"

He grinned as he wiped his face. "He'll try his best to make sure he never does, I promise you that."

They kissed each other one more time softly before deciding to get ready for the day.


	27. The Day Has Arrived

Teela's Visitor Chapter 27

Adam stood in front of his mirror and stared at his reflection. He laughed at himself a little with self-ridicule. He had never considered himself a vain person. The truth was when he had been younger he had never really given much thought to his wardrobe and appearance. He used to wear a simple white tunic which hung loosely about his frame and a pair of khaki trousers with brown boots. It had been simple regardless of how expensive the materials were. Even if his tastes had been common back then, the seamstresses and his parents had made sure he still looked like the Prince of Eternia.

Of course, when he became He-Man all of that changed. He had realized at the time that he needed to differentiate himself from He-Man as much as possible. He-Man was supposed to be a barbarian, a man's man, so to speak. So, he decided he would be the complete opposite. He decided to be like some of his cousins and other members of the nobility and aristocracy: he decided to be a fop, or at least dress like one. He wore flamboyant colors that were atypical of any common man. Of course, it was acceptable for him since he was the prince and as such, he was supposed to be refined and cultured. People took it as a show of class and confidence, ironically. He was never ridiculed for his choice in clothes, at least to his face, but he knew it also painted him as a guy who was more of a lover than a fighter, at best. If taken to a negative connotation, he knew it made him look weak, like a typical randy courtier, even though the people knew he didn't dally.

Now that he was courting Teela, he found himself caring a little more. He didn't want to embarrass her in any way. Of course, now that she knew he was He-Man, she understood his decisions when it came to his clothes and his behavior. They hadn't sat down and talked about that aspect of things, either, but he was sure she had figured it out.

He stared at his outfit and nodded approvingly. He wore a white undershirt, as usual, except this one was sleeveless. Over it, he wore his typical tunic, except it wasn't pink. No, it was more of a dark maroon that was probably close to the color of He-Man's fur-pants and boots. He paused as he wondered if it would be a risk to wear this color since his alter ego did but quickly dismissed the thought. If he had been shirtless and his pants had been that color perhaps it would be taking a risk, but this was nothing like He-Man's attire. As for his pants, he had gone back to wearing a pair of dark khaki trousers. He thought he had dressed himself pretty well for the occasion.

He took a deep breath and stared at his hair. It looked like it always did, but that was okay because he couldn't do much else with it at its length besides split it to the side or even push his bangs over. He decided to leave it as is. He had been wearing that particular haircut his entire life. After all it was a tradition in his family and he had a feeling if he did something else with it that would end up being the topic of the day instead of him and Teela…

Or maybe that would be a good thing?

He laughed at himself again. This time it was a nervous chuckle at his insecurity. He knew Teela could handle the scrutiny that they would be subjecting themselves to today. She might not like it, but she knew what was coming and she had accepted it when she had decided that she wanted to be with him. There was nothing to be nervous about.

Well, aside from the fact that he wanted things to be perfect for her. They already had a strike against them since the issue with Morgoth had come to light. He didn't know how that was going to affect their outing, but he just had to tell her earlier. He felt like it hadn't been an option. Teela was his partner now, more so than Cringer, even though he would never tell his feline companion that. He was sure Cringer knew, though—he was an animal after all. His friend probably understood the concept of mates at a more primal level than any human did. He smiled as he remembered A.J. playing with a green and yellow tiger. Was it possible Cringer would find a mate, too?

He found himself grinning at the possibility. He remembered when he had found Cringer when he was just a kitten. Of course, Cringer hadn't been a newborn at the time. Regardless, he had been downright cute now that he looked back and thought about the cub. Cringe had been a great friend; he still was…

Even if no one believed it, growing up as a prince had been tough. There had been times when he was younger that he thought he hadn't had a friend in the world besides Cringer. Even Teela had made fun of him from time to time when she had been with children, whose parents were members of the Guard. Of course, it had always been done in jest. She, at least, never meant it to turn into ridicule. In any case, he had been extremely grateful for Cringer's presence once he had gained him as a pet, and he was absolutely thrilled that A.J. would have a similar companion and at an even earlier age.

He actually hoped the kitten was one of Cringer's offspring. He would love to see what Cringer would have looked like at a younger age. Of course, he did question how it would all work out. Would the mother talk, too? Would she be tamed or wild? Would she live in the palace with them? And, what about the kitten? In the vision, it hadn't spoken a syllable, but then again, Cringer had rarely spoken when he had first found him. He honestly didn't know if Cringer would have ever spoken if it wasn't for him. Even on Eternia, tigers didn't normally speak. Now that Adam was older, he wondered if Castle Grayskull had something to do with Cringer's ability to speak since the Sorceress knew the tiger would be his companion and that he would turn into Battlecat.

And, that thought made him think about even more possibilities. Would A.J. and this kitten have a similar fate as him and Cringer? His son's nickname was A.J. Now, there were several reasons why he could have this nickname. It was one of two very likely scenarios. The Sorceress had said the queen had nicknamed him. Well, it was either that his mother had seen the child and thought he looked just like her son, so she decided to call him A.J. for "Adam Junior" or the child might very well be "Adam Junior" and A.J. would be less confusing than having both father and son respond to someone calling out "Adam." Or maybe it was both.

Anyway, he wondered if there would be another Prince Adam, his son, running around with the Sword of Power as He-Man when he became too old or perhaps too overwhelmed with having to run the kingdom and the planet. He didn't know how to feel about the possibility. Of course, he knew there would be some differences from his situation to his son's if that was to be the future. After all, he would know A.J.'s secret. His son wouldn't have to hide it from him, like he did with King Randor. As a matter of fact, he would be A.J.'s mentor and he could do it in a way that Man-at-Arms and the Sorceress had never been able to. He would be able to teach A.J. everything that there was to know about being He-Man. A.J. wouldn't have to stumble throughout time learning about his powers like he was doing now.

Of course, he still didn't know if he liked the possibility. He hoped that he would be able to stop Skeletor, Morgoth, and any other threats to Eternia, so that his son could live a happy and burden-free life. But if that were the case, then Teela wouldn't have had to be the Sorceress of Grayskull in his vision. Part of him wished A.J. wouldn't be destined to carry the Sword of Power, but then when he thought about it going to someone else, it made his heart clinch uncontrollably. He was sure it would be like someone else other than his son being the future King of Eternia. It was unfathomable. The Sword of Power was a part of him and he couldn't imagine giving that piece of himself to anyone but a son. And, he was sure his father felt the same way about the throne and him…

Adam laughed at himself again as he realized he was getting way too far ahead of himself. A.J. was still only a speck in the horizon. Teela and he were about to have their first date. They weren't married, and they certainly hadn't had intercourse to even make A.J. a possibility yet. So, as Teela had said one time earlier when he had been talking about marriage, he really was putting "the cart before the horse."

He looked into the mirror one more time and stared into his own eyes. "Well, Adam, ol' boy, it's time to put the horse in front of the cart." With a smile, he left his chambers to go to Teela's.

=)=)=)

They hadn't eaten that morning. Adam had told Teela before she left the room that he was pretty sure his father would provide them with some kind of brunch or lunch as they toured the city. He didn't know exactly what it would be, but how could they have a "date" without some kind of meal? He hoped his father and he thought along the same lines. He had half the mind to go question him before he knocked on the door to get Teela, but that wouldn't be following tradition. The king was supposed to handle the first outings regardless of whether it was for a prince or a princess. It was his right to make sure the courtship followed the guidelines dictated for royalty, and of course, it made a statement to the people that the king approved of the courtship since he had set up every aspect of their day. That was the most important thing about it all. The people had to accept Teela and with King Randor's blessings, as well as his own, they were bound to love her. Thankfully, they already did because they knew her as the Captain of the Royal Guard.

Rapping his knuckles on Teela's bedchamber door, he stood outside and waited. He noticed down that hall that several guardsmen and maids were watching him. He closed his eyes temporarily and stopped himself from turning towards them. He knew that's what all of these traditions were for: so the people of Eternia could watch their prince court a young woman. Those people included the guards and the maids. That's why the traditions started the minute he stepped out of his bedroom.

Finally, Teela opened the door and like he had grown accustomed to doing recently, he breathed in sharply as he got a good look at her. She looked beautiful. She was in a dress that was similar to his mother's in color and style, except instead of a golden belt around her hips, it was placed at her waist. Also, the collar of her dress didn't go up her neck. Instead she had sleeveless straps that held the dress up, so the neck and backlines of the dress plunged deeply on both sides. He tried to stop his body from having a response. He let the air that he had been holding out and took note of her hair. This time it was up, but it wasn't in her usual style. It was in a mere ponytail and her long hair still fell down her neck. He smiled and said his earlier thought, "Beautiful."

She grinned. "And, you don't look so bad, yourself."

He looked down at himself for a moment and then winked at her. He extended his arm to her and asked with a slight bow, "Shall we?"

"Of course," she said with a slight curtsey. Adam could tell she had done so, because she had also realized they had a small audience. She slipped her arm around his and he slowly walked with her down the hall.

"Are you nervous?" he asked as he ignored everyone turning their heads to look at them as they walked by.

Teela grinned at him and answered, "Maybe a little, but it doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm nervous about what might happen in the city. We have to remember Skeletor might show up at any time to spoil our fun. Also, as you've pointed out before, some overzealous citizens might feel the desire to get closer than they should. I don't know…but overall, I'm excited and happy that this is finally happening."

He nodded with a slight frown. The truth was he had been thinking about the future and Morgoth so much that he had temporarily forgotten about Skeletor. He knew Teela's fears about him and even the citizens were very possible. He wondered what kind of security his father had set up. He was sure the king would have the guard nearby at all times, just in case. Deciding to not dwell on it, he replied, "I feel the same way." He led her around the corner which took them to the corridor that led out into the courtyard. Once they arrived outside, Adam was surprised to see their parents waiting for them beside the carriage.

They walked over to them and King Randor smiled at them warmly. "There you are!" he exclaimed happily. "I was about to start wondering if I would have to go in there to get you."

Both Teela and Adam chuckled a little.

The king patted his son on the back and whispered, "I'd like a word."

Adam noticed Man-at-Arms had done the same to Teela, so they reluctantly parted to hear whatever their parents had to say. Marlena and Randor continued to smile at him, and eventually, the king said, "So, this is it."

Adam nodded. "Yep, it is."

"You know, Adam, I expect you to be a gentleman at all times."

He widened his eyes and gasped, "Of course I will be!"

Randor laughed and said, "I knew you would be, but just let me go through the typical spill that a father is supposed to give his son, okay?"

Adam then grinned and nodded.

"The carriage is going to take you throughout Eternos to different hotspots. I have arranged for the carriage to also take you to the Evergreen Forest for a private picnic. I thought you and Teela would prefer that instead of eating in public. The Ancients know Marlena and I wanted to get out of the public eye as soon as we could."

He nodded and replied, "Thank you, Father."

The king gave him a brief nod. "Also, members of the Guard are spread out across the city to make sure things remain safe for you and Teela. You will even have several following you from a distance when you go to the Evergreen Forest. Some are already there scouting the area to make sure no threats are present." He then grabbed his son's shoulder and squeezed it tightly for a moment. "I want you to have fun today, Adam, but I also don't want you to forget that you and Teela are being watched constantly. Don't have too much fun."

"I won't, Father. I promise."

The king nodded and then the queen stepped forward to slip her arms around her son. "My baby is growing up," she mumbled.

Adam couldn't help it. He laughed loudly, and he noticed several guards, courtiers, and even Teela and Man-at-Arms had turned to look at him. He embraced his mother for a brief moment and then looked into her eyes with amusement. "I think I've been grown for a couple of years now."

She waved her hand dismissively and countered, "Nonsense, you'll always be my child. I suppose I'm a little sentimental, though, because you're finally starting a new chapter in your life."

The prince's grin widened and he said teasingly, "Don't worry, Mom. You're still my favorite girl."

Queen Marlena laughed a little. "Now, don't lie, Adam. It's unbecoming of a prince. We all know Teela has been your favorite for years, as it should be."

He couldn't argue with his mother, because they all knew her words were true. He hugged her tightly one more time. When he let go, he looked at them both and said, "Thank you so much for today…and for accepting Teela."

The king and queen smiled and Marlena replied, "We didn't even have to think about it, Adam. We know how happy she makes you and that's all we've ever wanted for you."

He grinned widely and looked over at Teela. She was heading his way again with a huge smile covering her face. Her discussion with Duncan must have been equally pleasing.

When she reached him, she slipped her arm around his waist as he slipped his around her shoulders. "Well, I guess this is it!" she exclaimed happily.

The king nodded and said, "Well, let's get started then. First, I want to introduce you to your chaperone." They walked to the front of the carriage. The man behind the horses jumped down to the ground and extended his hand to Adam.

"Daniel, this is Prince Adam. Adam, this is Daniel. He is a minister at the nearby Worship Center of the Ancients. We thought he would be a perfect chaperone since we wanted to maintain the appearance of virtuosity and compliancy to our traditions."

The two men shook hands and Adam greeted, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," stated Daniel. Then, Daniel and Teela greeted each other.

The king caught the couple's attention again when the minister climbed back onto the carriage. "Daniel has already been informed on where to go and what to do. And, yes, he will be watching you to make sure no…" He paused to look at his wife. "What did you call it dear? No 'hanky panky' will be going on?"

Marlena laughed loudly, as did Adam. They always got amused when the king tried to use Earth terminology. It always sounded quite natural coming from the queen. It even sounded normal coming from Adam since he had been brought up with his mother's odd phrases. The same could not be said for the King of Eternia, however. It always sounded odd. Oh, he made sure to get whatever term or phrase he was saying exactly right, but his voice always took on a tone of uncertainty. The results were always comical. This time the topic _and_ the way he said it was amusing, so the laughter lasted for several long seconds.

Teela raised an eyebrow at Adam when he finally pulled himself together. "Sorry," he mumbled.

She shrugged with a grin of her own. "No problem here," she whispered back.

Adam looked to his father and stated, "There will be no 'hanky panky' going on today, I promise. Teela and I will be on our best behavior."

He nodded and replied, "Well, good. Now, you two know the drill, I assume."

Adam glanced at Teela and she nodded. "I read the chapter in your book," she announced proudly. He smiled and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Then your carriage awaits, my love," he said afterward and bowed flawlessly. He then walked her to her side of the buggy, lifted her effortlessly, and put her on her seat.

Teela smirked at him after he playfully flexed a bicep at her when he had seen her widen her eyes at his actions. She then giggled and whispered, "Okay, He-Man…I never knew you were such a show-off."

He grinned with a laugh and trotted around to his side of the buggy. He jumped onto the side of it and took his seat across from Teela. Their backs were to one another, but they turned simultaneously to see how far apart they were. It was perhaps only three feet, but it already seemed like it was too much. Adam realized he couldn't wait for their picnic already. Then, he would be able to get as close to Teela as he wanted to…well, as close as he wanted to in public.

With a wink at Teela, he turned back around and then spoke to their chaperone. "Okay, we're ready," he called out.

As the buggy started moving, both Teela and Adam waved goodbye to their parents and the other observers who were in the courtyard. Each hoped the outing would be perfect…

=)=)=)


	28. Time at the Theater

Teela's Visitor Chapter 28

Adam was feeling a wealth of emotions. Most of them were good: he felt excited to be on his first official outing with Teela. He was happy that he was now able to show everyone how he felt about her. He was so in love with her at that moment that he felt as though his heart would burst just because she was there with him by her own free will. This wasn't an arranged courtship. Teela could have backed out at any time, but she didn't because she loved him. It was an incredible feeling.

But he also felt awkward. He was used to people staring at him. The amount of scrutiny that he received every day of his life desensitized him to that. In fact, he rarely noticed their gawking…but he did when he was with Teela. As much as he loved having the opportunity to tell the world that he loved her and that she was his, there was also a part of him that wanted to keep all of their special moments together to themselves. In the end, though, he realized it didn't really matter. All that mattered was that they were together and in love.

He turned in his seat slightly to stare at Teela's back. She must have felt his eyes on her, because she turned slightly so she could peek at him. She grinned as they each brought a leg up to sit on their seats so that they could get at an angle where they could turn their heads to face one another. Technically, it was cheating on the rules—their backs were supposed to be toward one another at all times—but everyone broke this rule. It was expected. Who would want to talk to anyone who wasn't looking at them, after all?

He cleared his throat a little and stated, "So…this is actually happening."

Her grin widened. "Yes, it is," she agreed. She glanced around at all the people staring at them and then at their chaperone.

Adam could tell she was getting a feel for how close everyone was to them. She clearly wanted to talk and was trying to figure out if they could risk more personal topics. He looked around himself and sighed. He didn't want to risk talking about He-Man or their private interludes while on the carriage. There were too many ears nearby. When they met each other's eyes again, they both knew the other had come to the same conclusion.

Luckily, they didn't have to stay in the carriage for too long. Their first stop occurred within a few mere minutes after leaving the palace. Adam was surprised to look up and see the Eternian Theater House. Usually, the performers only put on shows in the afternoon. That meant his father had arranged a special matinee in honor of the prince and his date. Of course, the paying public was invited.

Taking a deep breath after noticing how many citizens were around, he jumped down from the carriage to go to Teela's side. That's when he noticed that members of the Guard were also present and keeping the people a good ten feet away from the carriage and the path that they would have to walk to get inside the theater. " _Thank you, Father_!" he thought to himself as he reached Teela and smiled at her.

She extended her hands toward him, and he quickly grabbed her by the waist and set her down gently on the ground. As they did this, their torsos brushed against each other's lightly and each stared at the other lovingly, but the moment was quickly ruined when they heard the crowd cheer and a couple of guys let out a few cat calls.

Adam closed his eyes for a moment to stop himself from throwing a nasty look their way. He knew they were excited and wanted to be a part of the moment. When he opened his eyes, Teela was smiling at him.

"It's okay," she whispered.

He nodded in agreement and extended his arm to her, but he didn't offer it like he did at the palace. On palace grounds, they were home even if they were in court or at a ball, so they were allowed to join arms more closely than they could out in public. Teela had read the chapter on this particular outing, so luckily, she knew why he had extended his entire elbow out with his forearm pointing straight forward and his palm facing the ground. She placed her hand on top of his, and with plenty of space between their bodies this way, they proceeded into the playhouse.

Once they were inside, Adam and Teela followed the line of guards that led up to the balcony seats. Adam pulled out a chair in the first balcony box so they could get to the railing. As Teela sat down, he pulled the chair back to its proper place and sat down, as well.

Adam ran his eyes over the crowd below who was also busily finding their seats. Everyone was dressed very formally in honor of the royal outing, and they were all looking up towards them as soon as they were seated. He sat back and breathed deeply. He had wanted to take Teela in his arms and kiss her senselessly. This whole outing and the way she looked made the urge strong, but he knew he couldn't give in to the desire—they had too many spectators and he had promised his father that they would be on their best behavior.

"What performance are we seeing?" asked Teela, startling him from his musings.

He shrugged. "I have no idea, but if Father asked them to do a special performance, you know it has to be good." He smiled at her and added, "I'm sure we'll get a program soon from one of the ushers." He then looked around for a moment and asked, "Would you like something to drink or a snack?"

When she nodded, he stood, but several ushers suddenly ran into the box and exclaimed, "We are at your disposal today, Your Majesty! Would you like us to get something for you?"

Adam looked over at Teela, who was clearly a little startled at the number of people who rushed in to offer their services. "A program and…," he raised an eyebrow at Teela.

"Oh!" she said a little awkwardly. "Uh, what do you have?"

The ushers grinned at one another. "Actually, King Randor has taken care of everything. We will be bringing you refreshments and the programs soon."

Now, it was Adam's turn to feel awkward. "Oh…okay. Well, that will be all, then."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all said simultaneously and left the box to stand at the wall across the hall. The workers were far enough away that they wouldn't be able to hear any discussions but close enough to see if Teela or he motioned to them for something.

As Adam sat back down and turned to her with an embarrassed grin, she rolled her eyes and questioned, "Will this entire outing be filled with people saying, 'Yes, Your Majesty' all day?"

He answered honestly. "Probably. You might as well get used to it."

She smiled with a small nod and then laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that," she mumbled. She then leaned forward to look over the railing and added, "And, I have to get used to all the staring, too."

He nodded in agreement and offered some advice. "The way I handle it is to ignore that they're even doing it. I tune it out, but I know that's easier said than done. Even I'm having problems during this outing. I'm self-conscious with my words and actions today."

"Yes!" she exclaimed, turning towards him. "That's exactly how I feel! Well, I'm glad it's not just me. I might have worried that I wasn't suitable for the job of princess."

He looked at her seriously and replied, "No, you're more than suitable, Teela. I have no doubt in my mind about that."

She grinned and reached over to grab his hand. When their fingers intertwined, she looked back at the people below them and asked softly, "Is this okay?" She moved their hands a little to let him know she was referring to their hand-holding.

"Yes, it is," he whispered.

She leaned back in her seat and said offhandedly, "I just wish this was like a normal date and we could get in the back of the theater and snuggle close to one another."

An awkward silence developed. Adam tried desperately not to have a reaction to her words and worry, but he couldn't help it. Did she already hate courting a prince? Was she already longing for a normal courtship? He bit his lip anxiously and kept his face forward, but he noticed through his peripheral vision that she had turned to look at him.

"Adam?" she questioned. She let go of his hand and brushed her fingers under his chin. He took a deep breath before looking at her. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he answered a little too quickly. Then, he sighed and admitted, "I'm just being a little too sensitive, that's all."

"What are you being sensitive about?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You know, courting a crown prince has a lot of traditions and protocol that normal people don't have." He met her eyes and stated seriously, "I would love nothing more than to be normal and sit in the back of the theater with you like an average guy…but I can't."

"Oh, Adam!" she quickly cried; "That's not what I meant. I just meant that I'd love to be in your arms right now. I did not mean to imply that I wasn't having a good time or that I wasn't enjoying this. I am. I love being with you and honestly, all this protocol—I don't know—it makes it seem special and more memorable. I think it shows our level of commitment to one another, and commoners don't get to experience that quite like this. I'm glad I'm one of the few who do."

He smiled with a slight upturn of his lips and grabbed her hand again. "Really?"

"Really," she affirmed. Then, she leaned towards him. "Besides, when the lights dim, who says we can't scoot our chairs back a bit and get a little closer? Only the ushers behind us would see, but you could dismiss them." She grinned evilly.

He laughed and whispered, "I like the way you think."

=)=)=)

A few minutes before the play began, an usher pushed a cart into the Royal Box and announced, "Here are some items we thought you might enjoy during the performance, Your Majesty. Your father helped us with most of it, so we hope it's to your liking."

Adam looked at everything and was a little surprised. There were things that clearly spoke of a romantic evening but not one that was so public. There were strawberries and wine. There was even different treats made of chocolate. Realizing that he needed to respond to the man, he said, "Everything looks great. Thank you."

"We're pleased you think so, Your Highness, and here's your programs." The usher handed the booklets to them and then inquired, "Is that all you will be needing right now?"

He nodded, but before the usher couldn't leave, Adam stood and called out, "Actually, there is one more thing."

The worker turned back eagerly. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"You have covered all of our needs, and I would feel bad if you and the other ushers stood back there all day with nothing to do. I would greatly appreciate it if everyone would prevent that by going about their regular duties and forgetting that we're even here."

The usher smiled slyly and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness." The man then pulled a curtain to close the box off from the hall and Adam sighed.

"I think he got the wrong impression," he mumbled with a blush. Even though the usher's probable suspicions were correct, he didn't want anyone to spread any negative rumors about their outing. He hoped the man was still nearby to hear his words. Unfortunately, if he was, Teela ruined it.

She chuckled at him, and as the lights began to dim, she whispered, "Oh, I think he got the right idea exactly." She scooted her chair back and then tapped on the back of his. Deciding not to worry about the usher, he moved his chair back slightly, as well, and pushed their seats together. He grinned at her and looked around to see if anyone could see them. When he saw that they were out of eyesight of everyone, he pulled Teela into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you," he repeated.

Then, trumpets were heard blazing loudly outside the theater house from the roof. It signaled to everyone on the streets that the play was about to start. A few people rushed in at the last minute to find their seats before the doors shut and the show began.

=)=)=)

The play didn't hold his attention.

After the show had started, he glanced at the program briefly and saw that they were watching a one-man play by none other than Man-E-Faces. Normally, that fact alone would have had him on the edge of his seat, because Man-E was the best actor on all of Eternia. His plays were guaranteed to be riveting. That didn't matter today. All he could pay attention to was Teela.

There were moments in the play when Man-E quoted poetry about a love never revealed and tears had sprung to her eyes. Then, there were moments when she laughed at the foolishness the protagonist had supposedly gone through to impress the object of his affections. He loved to watch her reactions. She was so…honest, so pure, so…Teela. He wanted her.

No longer being able to control himself, he leaned towards her and seized her lips with his. Teela was obviously shocked because she undoubtedly hadn't been expecting such a bold and sudden move. As a result, she gasped into his mouth and that only fueled his fire. He brought his right hand to her side to pull her more towards him and then slid it down to her hip to hold her tightly.

She pulled her lips from his a few moments later and whispered, "Adam, I thought we had to behave."

He breathed deeply and mumbled, "I'm trying…" He grinned and then added, "…but it's hard."

"Yes, it is," she agreed. She stared at his mouth and this excited him even more.

"Teela, if you don't want to misbehave, you have to stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

He stared at her mouth now and answered softly, "Like you want to devour me."

She chuckled. It was obvious she had forgotten completely about the play now, as well. She moved her lips to his ear and whispered, "I can't help that look because you're right."

He swallowed roughly and then pulled his head back so that he could see her face again. He stared into her eyes and then stated calmly, "Then, we're lost." Immediately, he pulled Teela to him tightly and kissed her desperately, like a man starving for air and she was the only one who could provide it. He then scooted his chair back even farther so that he was almost to the back wall. He was now completely behind the drapes that surrounded the box, and he pulled Teela out of her seat and onto his lap. He then stated matter-of-factly, "I guess we're going to be bad."

They both grinned at each other and they began to kiss again. Just as their hands began to roam over each other's body, the curtain suddenly pulled apart and a stern voice said, "There is to be none of that, you two! You know the rules!"

Teela snapped her head away from Adam and rose from his lap immediately. She blushed profusely and he knew he probably had the exact same complexion. He was more than a little embarrassed to be caught red-handed doing something forbidden on their first outing. He stared at their sudden guest and sighed. He should have known that he would show up eventually. He hoped desperately that he wouldn't tell anyone. If he had plans to do so, the outing would be over and who knew how their parents would react…


	29. Sharing the Future

Teela's Visitor Chapter 29

Adam stood and turned to face Teela. He reached out to grab her hand and gave it a small squeeze. He could tell she was thoroughly embarrassed by what had just occurred. "It's all right," he whispered soothingly. "Sit down while I step outside with him. I'll be back soon."

Doing as he asked, Teela sat in her chair and looked at him worriedly. He forced a smile on his face for her benefit and then turned away. He gestured for the interloper to step out of the box and then followed him into the hall. As soon as they walked a few feet away, he turned to Daniel, their chaperone, and said, "What you saw was my fault entirely. Teela…she was enjoying the show and I behaved inappropriately." He looked down for a second and then met his eyes again. "I would appreciate it if you could just forget what you saw. I promise we'll not break anymore rules. It was foolish of me to even try." He swallowed roughly and waited for him to respond.

Daniel seemed sympathetic and nodded slightly. "I wanted to give you two some time alone, my prince. I realize how frustrating all of this must be to a young couple who are in love and going out for the first time, but you made it impossible for me to ignore you! I'm sitting on the last row on the main floor. I could just make out your heads, but when I saw you two disappear, I knew I had to show up. After all, if I noticed your disappearance, others did, as well. We don't want people to start rumors. King Randor would have words with the both of us, so now we can say that I was with you and saw to it that nothing occurred. We won't be lying, now will we?"

Adam breathed in gratefully, seeing that the man was really protecting him. He clasped the man's arm firmly and replied, "Thank you."

He nodded and said, "Well, I'm going below again. I expect to be able to see you two…" He trailed off.

Adam could tell the minister felt awkward ordering him—he was the prince, after all. He nodded. "You'll see us. I promise."

Watching their chaperone walk away, Adam let out a deep breath and then went back to the balcony. Moving his chair back to its proper spot next to Teela, he sat down and leaned close to her. "It's okay," he whispered; "He's not going to tell anyone."

"Praise the Ancients for that," she mumbled back.

He nodded and simply grabbed her hand. They intertwined their fingers and enjoyed the rest of the show.

=)=)=)

Getting back to the carriage was more difficult than it had been getting inside the theater. Earlier, the Guard had kept everyone out of the playhouse and at a distance until they had arrived. Now, all the patrons were in the establishment and knew the prince and his date would be leaving almost immediately. Because of this knowledge, people were packed tightly into the lobby and outside the theater, trying to catch a glimpse of them. The Guard was still present, but they literally had to line their bodies up as a barricade to give them a walkway.

Tightening his hold on Teela's hand, he led her through the chaos. The truth was he was getting a little nervous at all the fuss. He had been the prince his entire life, so he was used to the adoration and staring, but this was different. It had never been so intense or so overwhelming before! In the past, Teela and he had been able to peruse and travel through Eternos quite freely, so he was almost shocked at how different the citizens were reacting to him and Teela now that they were courting. He was actually worried that some of the public would strip them naked for mementos of the occasion if they were given the chance!

Moving slightly faster than he normally would, he pulled Teela along. He glanced over at her face and saw that she looked a little worried, as well. "I never thought I'd be so eager to get back to the carriage," he said to her as he moved closer to her side.

"Nor I," she replied.

Thankfully, soon enough, they were outside. He walked to the side of the carriage, lifted Teela onto it quickly, and then ran around to jump on it himself, but that was before he heard Teela yell out. He looked in her direction and saw her slipping off of her seat. He then saw the head of an unknown man beside her. Not bothering to take the time to run around the carriage, he hopped on top of it and sprung to the other side.

What he saw made his blood run cold. Teela was on the ground and the stranger was bent over her. He couldn't tell what the man was doing, but he didn't care. He jumped to the ground, pulled the man up, and pushed him away. He then bowed-up at him a little, letting him know without words to back off, and the man did immediately. "Forgive me, Your Highness!" he said and lifted his hands in a display of innocence.

Unfortunately, his actions revealed that he wasn't quite so innocent. He was holding one of Teela's shoes in his hand. Astonished, Adam snatched it from him and before he even thought about it, he yelled for the Guard. Several nearby soldiers turned and cried out in alarm when they noticed that the man had slipped by them. They hadn't realized until that moment. Two quickly broke formation and ran to the stranger. They put him in handcuffs immediately.

Adam almost ordered them to let the man go and simply allow him to go back into the crowd until he looked over and saw Teela still sitting on the ground. All other thought left him as he ran to her side. "Teela! Are you all right?" he questioned frantically, bending beside her.

She nodded and said, "I'm sorry, Adam. He took me by surprise. I didn't see him until he grabbed my shoe. I don't think he realize they were strapped to my ankle until he began pulling."

He sighed as he realized his earlier worry had been right. There really were people here who would try to get articles of their clothing! He had heard of such things happening to other people of nobility, but he never thought it would happen in Eternos.

Quickly, he put the shoe back on her foot as the crowd booed at the man who was being led away. Some even started throwing things at him. Adam widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Let's get out of here!" He pulled Teela to her feet and sat her on the carriage again, except this time he sat her on the inside bench and followed her. He looked to the chaperone who was in the front seat staring at them. "I'm afraid we have to break the rules again for now. Let's go!"

Daniel nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Scooting down as far as they could so they wouldn't be easily seen, Adam wrapped his arms around Teela and pulled her to his side. "Are you sure that you're all right?" he asked again.

She nodded and sighed softly. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little embarrassed…"

"I'm so sorry, Teela," whispered Adam fretfully, holding her tightly.

"Why are you sorry?"

"For what just happened, for putting you in that situation in the first place…"

She pulled back and narrowed her eyes at him. "Now, Adam, don't you go ruining this outing just because some jerk decided he wanted to take my shoe! It's really not that big of a deal! I will not have you regretting our courtship!"

Startled, he gaped at her. "Teela, I would never regret our courtship! I just regret that I didn't prevent that guy from getting to you."

She furrowed her brow again and snapped, "Well, that's not your responsibility! If anything, I'm still in charge of protecting you! Remember, I am still your bodyguard and Captain of the Royal Guard, despite my role as your girlfriend now, and don't you forget it!"

Adam couldn't help but smile at her huffiness. He should have guessed that would be her response to his protectiveness. "Of course," he conceded.

She opened her mouth, almost as if she were going to argue with him again, but she must have realized suddenly that she had won, because she shut it quickly. Then, she smiled at him, chuckled a little, and leaned onto his chest. "Really, we should be thanking the guy," she mumbled.

He raised an eyebrow in question and when she saw his expression, she clarified, "We wouldn't be traveling like this now if he hadn't."

Now, Adam laughed. "That is true." He looked up at Daniel and then at their surroundings. Scooting up, he realized they were out of Eternos. "We're out of the city already?" he questioned. He remembered his father telling him they would go to several hotspots, not just one.

Daniel looked back at them and replied, "Yes, sir. We were supposed to go to a few other places while in the city, but I figured since things got so chaotic we needed to let things cool down. I figured you could have your picnic now. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Teela and he said simultaneously. They sat up straight in their seats and looked at the scenery as they held one another close.

=)=)=)

His father had really outdone himself. The picnic was already set up despite their early arrival and he knew he couldn't have done it better if he had tried. On the ground was a large plush, fleece blanket with several pillows to rest on. Beside the blanket was a huge basket and a bottle of wine nestled in a large pail of ice. Off to the side were two wine glasses.

"Is your father trying to get us drunk?" she asked with a laugh. She was obviously remembering the wine they had at the theater.

Adam knew this was just a planning oversight. He knew every portion of their outing was planned separately with different people involved and his father had simply chosen from ideas that sounded nice and put it together. King Randor probably hadn't scrutinized it too much at all. Laughingly, he said, "Let's not kick a gift horse in the mouth, okay?"

She nodded with a bright smile. They walked over to the blanket and Adam offered her his hand so she could sit down easily in her dress. Once she was seated, he sat beside her and looked up at Daniel who suddenly walked up. He lifted his brows slightly, waiting for the other to say whatever he had to say.

The chaperone cleared his throat and then stated cheerfully, "At this time, I was instructed to leave you alone for an hour or so, but of course, that is under the provision that…"

"No funny business," Adam stated, interrupting him. "I will keep the promise that I made at the theater house."

Daniel nodded and said, "Well, I guess that's it then. I'll be back soon. Oh, and if there is any sign of trouble, yell. Members of your Guard are nearby." When they both agreed, he turned to leave.

When Daniel was finally out of sight, Teela leaned back on the pillows and muttered, "Finally!"

Adam smiled and replied in a playful chastisement, "Now, Teela, he's not that bad. He's going to keep what happened at the theater house a secret, so be nice."

"Oh, I know he's not that bad, Adam. I just meant that I'm glad we're finally alone." She then looked around the forest and amended, "Well, as alone as we're going to get on this outing."

Adam also looked around. He didn't see any members of the Royal Guard, but he knew that didn't mean they were missing. They were simply making themselves scarce, so they could carry on with the traditions of this outing. While eating, they were supposed to talk seriously to one another about themselves and the future. He rubbed at his eyes wearily for a moment and then lay beside her. "It's amazing that I'm so tired already," he said with a small yawn.

She rolled to her side and faced him. "You're not really going to fall asleep during our first date, are you?"

"Well, it's not our first date, not really," he replied with another yawn. When she frowned slightly, he laughed and exclaimed, "I'm just kidding! So…what do you want to do? Eat? Talk? Both?"

She stretched a little and answered, "Well, I'm not hungry. I ate quite a few of those strawberries at the theater. How about we just talk?"

He grinned and said, "Your wish is my command. What would you like to talk about?"

She shrugged and said, "I don't know. Why don't you tell me some more about He-Man? I do have two years' worth of events to catch up on. Or, maybe you could tell me about Morgoth or the vision you saw at Castle Grayskull. You said we were married and had children. Did you see them? What were they like?"

Adam smiled as he thought about A.J. He had wanted to tell Teela about him earlier and he was glad she had given him the opportunity. Taking her hand, he pulled her towards him and she quickly snuggled to his side, laid her head on his shoulder, and rested an arm against his chest. "I saw only one child in the vision, so I don't know for sure how many we will have," he began.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

He answered proudly, "It's a boy, and he is so beautiful, Teela. I can't wait for the both of us to meet him!" He glanced down at her and she smiled up at him brightly.

"What does he look like?"

He grinned toothily. "He looks a lot like me, actually. When I saw him in my vision initially, I almost thought he was me during my childhood for a split second."

She scooted up and kissed him lightly. "Do you know what we will name him?"

He shook his hand. "No, I don't, but I do know his nickname."

When she raised an eyebrow inquiringly, he whispered, "A.J. We call him A.J."

"Adam Junior?"

"That's what I'm thinking. The Sorceress said my mother gave him the nickname when she saw him, so that doesn't necessarily mean Adam is his name. Like I said, he looks so much like me that people might have simply wanted to call him that."

Teela sat up and turned to face him. When he also sat up, she kissed him deeply. She leaned against his chest and dueled her tongue with his until they both had to pull apart to breathe. "I wish I could have seen him," she revealed softly.

Adam stared into her eyes for a few moments and then whispered, "Maybe you can now."

She widened her eyes in surprise. "How?"

He shrugged. "Well, I'm getting all of these mental abilities recently. If I can speak to you telepathically, why can't I send an image or a memory, too? It doesn't hurt to try, does it?"

She grinned and answered excitedly, "No, it doesn't!"

Adam closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He heard Teela breathe deeply, so he figured she was doing the same. Carefully, he picked out the memory of A.J. running after his pet tiger in the courtyard and then entered Teela's mind.

" _I hope this works_ ," he heard her think.

He opened his eyes to look at her and smiled. He brushed his fingers across her cheek and she quickly opened her eyes. When their gazes met, he winked and thought, " _Can you hear me? Just respond mentally if you can._ "

She grinned suddenly and nodded. " _Yes, I can! Wow! I've…I've never had anyone speak to me this way before!_ "

He took another deep breath and said silently, " _Well, you'll get used to it. I honestly think this will come in handy in the future, especially during battle or meetings_." He smiled again. " _Okay, I'm going to try to share my vision with you. Close your eyes again_."

When she did as asked, he did the same. He concentrated and let the memory play through his mind and hopefully hers, as well. He watched as his son chased his tiger happily and then hid as someone unseen yelled his nickname. Then, Adam watched his future self come out into the courtyard and call for A.J. When the boy sprung out, calling him 'Daddy', and leapt into his arms, Adam stopped the memory. He didn't want Teela to see what happened next. He wanted to spare her the pain her absence will inflict if they're unable to stop that future.

He opened his eyes and saw tears slipping down Teela's cheeks even though her eyes were still shut. "Teela?" he questioned aloud. "Did it work?"

She snapped her eyes open and bit her lip. "Yes, it did," she cried. She slipped her arms around him and exclaimed, "You were right, Adam! He's so beautiful and perfect. I just…I can't wait to have him and hold him in my arms!" She looked at him for a mere second before she pushed her lips onto his firmly. When she pulled away, she whispered, "From the looks of you in that vision and how old A.J. was, I'd say our little prince will be conceived sometime in the near future."

Adam closed his eyes as he fought against the ideas her words elicited. Then, he felt her lips on his again. He moaned and kissed her back deeply, but when she brought her hands to his belt, he pulled away. He grabbed her hands and laughed. "I promised Daniel that we would behave." When she gave him a very disappointed and disapproving look, he continued, "I want to be married when we conceive A.J. I want to do that the right way. I don't ever want him to be called illegitimate, Teela. I want him to be my true heir in every sense of the word."

She nodded. "Of course," she whispered; "I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking about the throne or anything else. I just…I can't wait to have that family."

He grinned happily and replied softly, "I honestly can't wait either, but it will happen soon enough, Teela. Before you know it, this courtship will be over and we'll become husband and wife. We might spend a few years getting used to married life and _then_ we'll have A.J. I want that more than you know."

He pulled her to him once more, and as she rested her head on his shoulder again, he added, "Of course, I do want to change a few things about that future: I don't want to be king, yet, so I have to stop whatever happens to my father. I also want to make sure you're there with me in that courtyard, so that means we have to stop Morgoth." He moved his head slightly to kiss her forehead. "But I am afraid…"

She quickly pulled back and stared into his eyes. She cupped his cheek and demanded, "Tell me."

He brought his hand up to hers and whispered so softly that she had to strain to hear him. "I'm afraid that changing these things might prevent A.J. from being born somehow. I…already love him so much and now that I know he should exist in the future, I want him to be in my life, but protecting the Sorceress, helping my father, and keeping you by my side has to take precedence."

Teela leaned forward and kissed him again. "We'll have A.J.," she stated firmly. "No matter what happens, we'll keep trying until we do."

He grinned and laughed a little as he pulled her into his arms again.

Just as Adam was about to speak, he heard a voice that made Teela squeak in surprise as he tightened his arm around her a little too tightly.

"Who is A.J.?"

Adam and Teela both turned their heads to the left and saw King Randor standing there with Queen Marlena and Man-At-Arms right behind him.

=)=)=)


	30. A Gift from the Heart

Teela's Visitor Chapter 30

Adam simply could not believe his poor luck: it was like his parents and Teela's had a radar to know when they were having a private moment. They always ruined it somehow without meaning to.

He didn't know how to answer the question, so he fell back on old tactics when having to explain his conduct after doing something as He-Man or the like. He chuckled a little and said, "Ah, you see, we were just, uh, you know, talking about, uh, uh…" He laughed nervously again and looked at Man-at-Arms quickly, trying to get the older man to do something.

His mentor must have gotten the message loud and clear, because he stepped forward and said, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but can't we talk about that a little later? What I want to know is if you two are all right?"

Teela and he looked at each questioningly. Adam had no idea what her father was referring to.

Man-at-Arms sighed and said, "You were attacked outside the theater house. We came to make sure you were okay."

"Oh!" Adam exclaimed. He stood and answered, "We're fine, and I wouldn't really call it an attack. He was after Teela's shoes." He shook his head. "It was weird more than anything else."

Queen Marlena smiled a little and replied, "Well, that isn't what we heard."

He turned to his mother with interest. He could tell from her sly smile and the amusement in her voice that what they heard wasn't too unsettling. He had a feeling that whatever she had to say might be a little embarrassing to him and Teela both. "What did you hear?" he asked warily.

"Well, let's just say we heard that the citizens of Eternos got to see a new side to Prince Adam. Everyone is talking about it."

He widened his eyes, thinking that they must have heard about their balcony interlude somehow, but how that tied into the shoe incident, he didn't know. "Mother, everything was completely innocent! Nothing happened! Daniel was there and, and…"

King Randor couldn't seem to control himself. His laughter rang throughout the forest and he grinned brightly. He patted Adam on the back and said, "You're drifting to a different topic and about to report your own misconduct, son. Always wait to find out what a person is talking about before you decide to shoot off explanations. You'll need that control when you're king one day, trust me."

Adam quieted and stood rigidly for a moment but then relaxed when he saw that his father's amusement wasn't fading and that a reprimand wasn't coming.

Marlena simply smiled, as well, and obviously decided to put him out of his misery, because she quickly explained her comment. "I'm referring to what happened between you and that man. We heard about you jumping onto the carriage to get to Teela quickly and that you basically threatened the guy."

His mouth dropped open. "I didn't threaten him! I just…I just, gestured for him to back off."

"In a very aggressive manner," she finished for him.

He looked back at Teela for a moment and then cried, "Well, what else on Eternia should I have done? He's lucky I didn't actually hit him for scaring her and me!"

Randor, still smiling, nodded in agreement. "Son, we're not getting on to you at all. I probably would have done the same thing. Can't a mother and father tease their son a little without you getting too upset?"

A blush rose unbidden to his face and neck. "I…I suppose." He then looked at them again and asked, "But I must ask why you three are here? Isn't this supposed to be a private picnic?"

"We told you," Man-at-Arms answered, "we wanted to make sure you were okay. We wanted to talk to you before we made a decision on what to do with the prisoner."

"Prisoner?" he questioned. He looked to his father and said, "Just let him go. In the greater scheme of things, he didn't do any harm. I think the response he got from me, the Guard, and the crowd was enough to make him think twice before he tries something like that again."

The king and queen nodded. "As you wish, son," Randor replied. He then looked down at Teela, who was watching everything quietly. He smiled and said loudly, "Well, I guess that just about covers what we needed to know. We'll let you get back to your picnic. I do expect to see the both of you later in the afternoon, though. I'd love to hear about everything."

"Yes, sir," Adam said.

His father laughed again and added, "I have a special interest in the innocent act you committed while Daniel watched. You might as well tell us about it since you were about to anyway."

He knew his blush darkened, because his parents laughed loudly once more and walked away.

Adam shook his head at his parents' actions and words and was about to turn back to the Teela when he noticed Man-at-Arms was still there. "Duncan?" he questioned.

The soldier studied them both for a second and then replied, "I covered for you, but I do want to know. You two looked so serious when we walked up. Should I be worried? Who or what is A.J.?"

Now, it was the couple's turn to laugh. Adam looked at her and winked. "You don't have to worry," he answered as he turned back around. "You'll find out eventually, but I promise it has nothing to do with our obligations to Eternia or Castle Grayskull." He paused for a moment to think about it and then added, "Well, let me take that back. It has nothing to do with He-Man. It does deal with my obligations to Eternia but as the prince, not as the planet's champion."

Duncan raised his brow skeptically and replied, "If you say so. Well, I hope the rest of the outing is pleasant. Stay out of trouble." He smiled softly and waved as they said their goodbyes.

When Man-at-Arms finally walked away, Adam turned back to Teela and grinned when he noticed her intense blush. He wondered why it was there as he sat back down on the blanket beside her. "What is it?" he asked as he brushed a finger across her cheek.

She must have known what he was referring to, because she bowed her head coyly for a moment before slipping into his arms once more and laying her head on his shoulder. "Oh, nothing," she whispered. "I just realized that when we get married, everyone is going to expect us to produce an heir rather quickly, won't they? They'll be expecting us to have lots of…" Her blush deepened as she sat up and explained, "I just never thought about _that act_ being an obligation to you. I never heard it described quite that way before by a royal, but I guess it is."

He laughed and replied, "Yes, it is, but I'm told it is a most pleasurable one that I won't have a problem with at all. The little that we've experienced—the preparation for the act, that is—is actually quite enjoyable, so it's a sacrifice of my time that I'm willing to make…for the people, of course."

Teela laughed loudly as Adam winked at her and smiled brightly. "Oh, Adam!" she exclaimed as she slapped him on the chest playfully.

He laughed with her a little, but soon he quieted and stared down at her as he thought about what they had just said. Teela, unaware of his contemplation, snuggled closer to him under his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "I love you, Teela," he whispered. "I know I say that often, but I hope you know it's not just words that I say because we're courting, like so many others do. I really mean it."

She pulled back to look at him and replied, "I know. I feel the exact same way about you."

He nodded and whispered, "I just want you to know that when we do make love, it won't be to fulfill an obligation to the people. I mean, yes, I have to have an heir one day, but loving you will never be looked at as a duty or part of my job as a monarch. We will make love because the emotions are there and we truly want to. And, when we have A.J., it will be because we want to for ourselves and our family, not because Eternia wants to make sure the royal bloodline continues. I mean, that is important to me. I'll admit I do want a part of myself, my father, and my ancestors to continue, but…"

Teela leaned forward and kissed him softly. She pulled away only a fraction of a centimeter and whispered, "I know what you mean. You don't have to explain, Adam." She kissed him again as she slipped her arms under his and around his back and pressed herself to him tightly.

He wrapped his arms around her, as well, and held her to him for several minutes. Eventually, though, he sat up straighter and leaned back to pull away from her slightly. She looked up at him and he smiled softly. "I have something for you," he whispered.

She pulled back and asked in surprise, "What is it?" She obviously hadn't been expecting anything.

He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small box. He bobbled it back and forth in his hands as he stared at it. He then looked up at her nervously. "It's not in the book, but it's tradition for the prince to give a token of his affections on his first outing. It's kind of like an unwritten rule." She nodded. "Normally, most give a necklace. It's visible for everyone to see and it sort of marks their territory. I found that I didn't like the notion. After all, you're not my property in that sense. You chose to be with me and if you ever want to leave me, that will be your choice, too."

Tears immediately swelled in Teela's eyes. "Don't talk like that. I will never choose willingly to leave you."

He smiled and said, "I didn't mean it quite like that. I just meant that you're free to do as you will in this relationship, so I didn't want to 'mark' you, like so many other princes do. I mean, I made the announcement at court, so that should suffice. I don't have to keep rubbing it in everyone's face." He laughed and continued, "But I do want to give you something, something that will be special to the both of us." He sighed. "I have no idea if you'll like it. It's a bit unorthodox, because it's not done a lot on Eternia, but I talked to Mother and she thought it was a good idea. If you don't like it, we can pick something else…"

"Adam," Teela interrupted, "I'm sure I'll love it because it came from the heart."

He nodded slightly and met her eyes as he opened the box slowly. He then glanced down at it before he turned it towards her, so she could see it. Nestled inside was a small ring. It was a mere band, but there wasn't anything simple about it. The ring had an outer layer of rubies that matched her hair color on the top and bottom. It was held together by layers of gold. In the center of the ring, between the rubies on each side going all the way around, it had two rows of small diamonds and blue and green gems.

Adam stared at her to gauge her reaction, but he couldn't tell what she was thinking. She merely gawked at it. To explain himself, he said timidly, "I didn't know what to give you, so I thought about you being the Captain of the Guard. I knew you couldn't have anything flimsy like a bracelet, because it would break. You wouldn't be able to wear it with your uniform anyway. It couldn't be earrings, because I didn't want to give you anything that could be ripped out if you had to fight or spar." He shook his head. "When I decided on a ring, I then realized that nothing could protrude from it, because it might snag on something while you're fighting or you might knock the protruding gem off, so I knew it had to be a band…but I wanted it to be special." He noticed that she finally looked at him, so he met her gaze anxiously, "I wanted it to represent us somehow. I know it may seem a little shallow now, but when I was a kid, the first thing that made me notice you was your hair. It made you stand out in the world, so that's why I picked the rubies. Then, I realized that I wanted something to represent you and me together, so I picked the blue and green gems because that's the colors of our eyes." He sighed and continued, "And, I picked the diamonds because Mother said on Earth that it represented 'forever.'" He stared at her intensely and said, "That's how I feel about our relationship. I want it to last forever. It's corny, I know, but…" He shrugged and looked away, feeling embarrassed, not at all sure of his gift now that he had shown it to her.

"It's not corny at all," he heard her say. When he turned back, he was surprised to see tears gathering in her eyes. "You thought a lot about this, didn't you?" she asked.

He nodded and admitted, "I had it specially made, _but_ if you don't like it, that's okay. I would never force you to wear it or even keep it."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she got on her knees and threw her arms around his neck. "I love it," she whispered before she kissed him. Teela ran her tongue across his lips slowly and immediately slipped it over his when he opened his mouth.

When they pulled away, he removed the ring from the box and grabbed her left hand. He slipped it on the second finger from her left and whispered, "Mother said on Earth, sometimes Earthlings give each other something called promise rings. They have engagement rings, too, but I thought this would be more appropriate since we're not at that stage in our courtship, yet." He grinned with joy and continued, "Promise rings simply represent our commitment to one another. It's a promise to always be there for each other, to remain true to our relationship…Not that I felt that I needed to get you to promise to anything. I just..."

Teela laughed and whispered, "You don't have to keep explaining yourself, Adam. I love the ring. I just have one problem with all of this."

Adam widened his eyes in surprise. "What?" he asked alarmed.

"If I'm wearing this promise ring that represents our commitment, where's yours?" She looked at him sternly and placed her hands on her hips.

He grinned and reached into his pocket. Her mouth dropped open at his actions when she saw him pull out another box. He laughed at her expression and said, "Well, I had to make sure you liked the idea first. I wasn't going to make a complete fool of myself, showing you I went all out on this if you hated it." He opened the box and showed her. It wasn't exactly like hers. It was definitely more masculine. It was a band as well, but it was mainly gold, but it had tiny blue and green gems, as well as diamonds, circling around the edge of the ring on both sides.

"I love it," she whispered again. She took the ring from the box and placed it on his finger. She smiled brightly and exclaimed, "I love you, Adam, and thank you so much! Despite the shoe-stealer, this outing has exceeded all of my expectations! I don't see how any of our future outings will even be able to come close to being as wonderful as this one!"

Adam laughed and said happily, "Oh, I'll make sure that they do. Trust me. But before we talk about those, we have to remember that this one isn't over, yet." He leaned over and kissed her softly.


	31. Young and In Love

Teela's Visitor Chapter 31

He had never been happier in his life than he had been at that moment. Teela accepting the rings and what they represented made him feel like the luckiest man on the planet. Truthfully, he was. He glanced over at her and stifled a giggle. She was currently trying to get on her knees, so she could reach the picnic basket which was a few feet away. Unfortunately, she had caught the bottom of her dress in such a way with her knees that she almost made herself fall face forward.

Adam covered his mouth and bit his tongue as best as he could. He knew if she heard him laugh, he was a dead man for sure—it wouldn't matter that she loved him! Besides, he knew he shouldn't laugh at something that was truly his fault. Teela wasn't accustomed to wearing dresses anymore. She wasn't used to flowing gowns with underskirts that could get in the way when doing even the simplest activities.

He watched as she rolled back a little to pull her knees in the air; then, she snatched her dress out from under herself so that it would flow outward. Now that she had that out of the way, she could move as planned. She grabbed the basket and scooted back to sit next to him. He waited for her to begin rifling through the goodies his father had prepared for them; but instead, she turned a furrowed brow in his direction.

"What?" he asked, clearly surprised.

She smirked at him and began jabbing him in the chest with her index finger. "Don't you 'what' me, _Prince Adam_!" she spat. "I'm angry with you! Don't think I didn't know you were laughing at me a moment ago!"

Despite her words, he knew she wasn't angry in the slightest. Her lips which were slightly upturned and the brightness of her eyes belied her words immediately. "I'm sorry," he apologized anyway. "I really shouldn't have laughed. It was just amusing to watch the Captain of the Royal Guard being taken down by a mere dress!" He couldn't hold it in then: he let out a ginormous laugh at his own joke.

Teela pursed her lips together and folded her arms across her chest. When he realized she hadn't joined him in his gaiety, he wiped his eyes and looked at her cautiously. Then, he gulped. Yep, he was in for it!

"I'm so happy you found it amusing, Adam," she said flatly, "because now I'm going to have some amusement of my own." She then grinned wickedly at him.

He pretended to grow worried. "Uh, Teela?" He started inching away from her very slowly. "Sweetheart?"

She cocked an eyebrow in response and chuckled. "Oh, so now it's 'sweetheart' when you know you're in trouble." She grinned again and said, "You didn't ask how I was going to find my merriment."

Getting onto his knees like she was doing, he asked warily, "How are you going to find it?"

She shifted herself towards him a little more and stated matter-of-factly, "Oh, you see, the Captain of the Guard may have been taken down by a dress, but the Prince of Eternia is about to be taken down by that same woman!" Instantly, she sprung at him, but luckily, Adam had been prepared for it, so he jumped to his feet and took off running.

"Just wait until I get my hands on you!" he heard her yell with a laugh.

He looked back temporarily and saw that she was only a few feet behind him. Increasing his speed a little, but not too much, he turned his head and yelled, "Teela, this is NOT part of the routine we're supposed to be following!"

She scoffed at him playfully, "Ha! Since when have we done anything normal, especially when it comes to our courtship?"

"True!" he conceded with a laugh and just as he turned back around, he ran into a huge thicket of bushes. Instantly, he was falling and rolling in all directions on the poor plants until he found solid ground. As soon as he did, Teela pounced on him.

"Gotcha!" she said as she placed her legs around his waist, hiked her dress up slightly to give her enough mobility to sit down on him, and then pushed on his shoulders to make sure he stayed flat on the ground. "You're mine now!" she exclaimed teasingly.

He grinned devilishly and replied, "I thought I already was."

Just as Teela leaned over and brushed her lips against his lightly, they heard a voice. "Uh, Captain Teela? Prince Adam? Is everything all right?"

She immediately looked up. In front of her were at least eight members of the Royal Guard. "Oh!" she exclaimed as Adam rolled his head back to look behind them. As soon as she got to her feet, he stood as well.

"Everything is fine," he answered calmly; "We were just fooling around."

"Yes," one of the guardsmen said with a chuckle, "we can see that." He turned to his comrades and made a soft catcall and a whistle at them jokingly.

Despite the fact that he knew the guard didn't truly mean anything by it, Adam stepped in front of him with his hands on his hips and commanded firmly, "Apologize this instant!"

The guard jumped at his tone and twisted back around in complete shock to face the prince.

Adam continued, "Teela and I were merely having a good time and she will not be disrespected in such a manner. She may very well be your princess someday, so you will treat her as such."

The soldier bowed before Adam and said, "Forgive me, Your Highness, I did not mean to offend you or her." He then went to Teela and said, "Please accept my sincerest apology for my conduct, Captain. I should have used better judgment."

When she nodded, Adam walked to his side and whispered, "I know you didn't mean any harm, but I can't let things like that slide. If I let you get away with it, then others will think it's okay when it's not."

"I understand, Your Majesty," the guard said quickly.

Adam nodded his head a few times and then extended his hand to Teela. She slipped her hand into his and they began walking back to their picnic area.

"Don't you think that was a bit…harsh?" she whispered when they were far enough away from everyone.

He looked at her and when their eyes locked on to one another's, he answered, "Not at all. I won't let people demean you, Teela. Trust me, I've lived that life in the public eye and it's not going to happen to you. I won't let it."

She moved closer to him as he grew silent and whispered sadly, "It really was hard for you to try to keep your secret, wasn't it?"

Adam looked away and sighed deeply. "At times," he admitted. He shook his head and exclaimed, "Hey, why are we discussing all of these depressing things? This is supposed to be a joyous occasion!" He tried to grin at her, but from her expression, he could tell he didn't quite pull it off well.

"This outing is for us to get to know each other better. That includes discussing the pain and anger, as well, Adam. Remember, I'm in this with you now, so I want to know these things. I want to be there for you, just like you want to be there for me."

After hearing her words, he couldn't love her more if he tried. She kept showing him every day how truly amazing she really was. He thanked the Ancients once again for her place in his life. He couldn't imagine it any other way now. He smiled at her and replied, "I'm glad you feel that way."

They smiled at each other, and soon they got to the clearing where their picnic had been set up. Daniel stood there and cried, "I was beginning to get worried! I thought you two might have run off! I was already preparing to be yelled at by the king!"

Adam laughed and replied, "I wouldn't have done that to you; I owe you one, remember? Teela and I were just a few yards away playing around. I promise nothing occurred that would get you into trouble."

Daniel grinned and blew out a breath in relief. "Thank Goodness!" he stated. "Well, it's time to pack up and go now."

Adam looked at Teela. When he saw that she looked as confused as he felt, he asked, "It is? Where are we going?"

He grinned, picked up their basket, and answered, "It's a secret. We have to be there at a specific time, so we can't delay!"

Adam raised his brow and said the only thing he could. "Okay. Sounds like fun, I guess."

He looked back at Teela and escorted her to the side of the carriage. Like before, he lifted her onto the seat and went to the other side. He knew she was probably as disappointed as he was that they were back to their original seats, but they had to do things right. Besides, he had a feeling that whatever his father had planned for them now, it would more than make up for it!


	32. Morainian Threat?

Teela's Visitor Chapter 32

The ride back into Eternos was a long one. Daniel was going much slower on the way back, but Adam was infinitely grateful. He pulled his left leg up, sat his knee on the seat beside him, and twisted his torso so he could look at Teela. What he saw made his heart skip a beat! Teela was looking at her ring and touching it lightly with her other hand. Sometimes, she would twist it back and forth gently and other times, she would simply hold her hand out and look at it.

He grinned. Before he had actually given Teela the gift, he had been extremely worried about her reaction. He didn't know if it would be considered too much on more than one level. For one thing, the ring did hold a lot of jewels and Teela was definitely not a typical courtier who was interested in gold and all things shiny. Second, the mere idea of promise rings implied that a commitment was being made…Of course, he had to remind himself that Teela knew from the beginning where he wanted their relationship to go. She wanted it, too—he had no doubt of that.

Clearing his throat a little, he said softly across the carriage, "So, you really like your present, huh?"

Teela jumped a little on her seat before she turned to him. Her ivory skin tinted red. "Of course," she replied. "I love it."

He nodded and asked, "You don't think it's too gaudy, do you?"

"Not at all. The jewels are small and it's a band. Most people won't even pay any attention to it unless I shove it in their faces."

Adam chuckled a little before replying, "Oh, the courtiers will notice it, trust me. They'll see it right away. I have no doubts to the contrary."

She shrugged. "Let them see it, then." She looked back at the ring for a moment and then met his gaze. "Adam, how long do you think our courtship is going to last?"

He hadn't been expecting that question. His air almost got stuck in his throat. "What do you mean?" he rasped out eventually.

She sighed. "Just what I said. How long do you think we'll be on this courtship phase? How long does the king expect us to date?"

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I don't know. It differs for some couples. Some have a relatively fast courtship that lasts anywhere between eight months to a year. Sometimes it's longer. Why do you ask?"

She tilted her head downward a little—she looked slightly embarrassed. "I'll admit I'm being a little selfish." When she looked up, he shook his head at her a little as he wrinkled his brow to express his confusion. Sighing again, she explained, "Now that I know about our future marriage and A.J., I know without a doubt that I want that future. Only now—thanks to the Sorceress and you—I also know that the future isn't written in stone. I tried to be confident earlier when we were talking, but now that it's all settled in my mind, I see all of the potential threats that you did. Things could change and I just have this overwhelming desire to hurry and marry you before you and A.J. slip through my fingers." She looked down again and whispered, "It's hard to explain."

Adam chanced a glance at Daniel before he pushed back with his hands a little and brought his other leg up. Quietly, he moved to the other side of the carriage and sat right behind her. "Teela," he whispered gently, "I know what you mean. You don't have to struggle to tell me, because you know I feel exactly the same way. It's basically what I was saying to you earlier. I'm afraid that we're going to change something while trying to stop Morgoth that erases him from our future, but we have to think positively."

She looked at him hopefully. He could tell that she wanted him to say something in which she could cling to.

He grinned to calm her and reminded her, "That future that we say we want…yes, we want to be married and we want A.J., but we really don't want what we saw in that vision. Remember, you're not there with us. You're the Sorceress and in Castle Grayskull. So, really, if we think about this logically, if we take our time and be careful, maybe our futures will change but for the better."

She nodded a little and whispered, "I'm just nervous. The more I think about it, the more anxious I become. What if you're wrong and things don't turn out that way?"

He grabbed her hand and replied, "Then, we'll keep trying until it does. We'll make it happen, Teela. I love you and you love me. It's as simple as that. You said before when I was having my insecurities that we would keep trying for that future; now it's my turn to tell you the same thing." He smiled. "We both want this so desperately that it's unfathomable to believe that it won't happen."

She grinned suddenly and chuckled. "You're right."

"Of course, I am!" he exclaimed; "I am the prince, you know! What I say pretty much goes!"

"Oh, yeah…yeah, right," she scoffed.

He smiled slyly at her and asked softly, "Do you want a demonstration?"

She shrugged slightly and in response, he leaned towards hers and whispered, "Kiss me."

She didn't hesitate. She turned in her seat as best as she could, threw her arms around his neck, and moved her lips against his slowly. When they ran out of air, he pulled away slightly, rested his forehead against hers, and whispered, "See, I told you."

Before Teela could reply, sudden outcries interrupted their tender moment. "Awwww!" "Isn't that cute?" Many other things were said amongst a lot of massive cheers.

Adam snapped his head back and realized they were back in Eternos, and not only that, Daniel had stopped the carriage and was glaring at them!

"Prince Adam, what are you doing?" he chastised. "Get back on your side of the carriage! Your father is going to have our hides!"

Adam blushed and snickered a little as he glanced at Teela briefly before moving back to his seat. He winked at her when they started moving again. Then, to make things up to Daniel, he decided that he would behave as protocol dictated for a little while. He turned his attention to his people and waved as they waved at him.

Both adults and kids alike lined the streets when they saw the carriage coming. No one went about his or her business and ignored them. No one. They all stood still and because of this, he could examine the faces around him. Some looked familiar, but more often than not, they were strangers, strangers that knew him. Waving again for the last time, he prepared to turn around to face Teela again when something caught his eye.

There was a single man in the crowd not paying attention to him and Teela. Just one. In fact, the stranger had his back to them as he talked to a man beside him. Because his companion was facing the street, he stared at the person's face and jumped a little. It was King Moraius! But, he didn't have his crown on. " _What is he doing still in Eternos_?" he asked himself and then he saw the person next to him. It was Princess Janice, and both royals were now turning to the unknown man. As the carriage passed by, Adam turned his head a little to see if he could catch a glimpse of the man's face. He wasn't sure why, but he had a bad feeling.

Before they turned the corner onto another street, the man suddenly turned his head towards him, and Adam gasped. He saw that face before—he had interacted with him that very day! He was the man who tried to steal Teela's shoe!

=)=)=)

Try as he might, Adam couldn't get the picture of Moraius and Janice with that man out of his mind. " _You're being ridiculous, Adam_!" he chastised himself. " _Why are you being so paranoid? So, Moraius and Janice stayed in town, so what? They probably wanted to witness the royal outing and celebrate with the people. Yeah…And, why is it such a big deal that they were talking to a citizen? They probably don't even know what happened earlier. What? Do you think Janice and Moraius had something to do with the man's prior actions?_ " He paused for a moment and then shook his head. " _Ridiculous! Of course not! Why would either one want Teela's shoe? And, why are you talking to yourself like this?_ "

Adam was brought out of his thoughts by someone shaking him. "Prince Adam? Prince Adam, are you all right?"

His mind came back to the present and saw that Daniel was standing right in front of him. Clearing his throat a little, he replied, "Yes…yes, I'm fine."

He nodded a little and gestured behind him. "We're here. Lady Teela and you have a gondola to yourselves."

Adam turned in his seat and stared at the dock behind him. They were at the Eternos River, a manmade waterway that ran throughout the city. It had been one of the earliest attempts at giving the citizens of Eternos easy access to fresh and clean water. Of course, now they all had water running directly into their homes underground, so this river was now used as a means of amusement. Boat rides were a usual pastime for couples. Adam had never gone before.

He jumped off the side of the carriage and made his way to Teela. He grabbed ahold of her waist and gently placed her on the ground. She smiled up at him and said, "Adam, did you know about this? I always wanted to ride in a gondola throughout the city, but I never had the time!"

Adam was happy to see that Teela was excited. Under different circumstances, he would be, too, but he was distracted. "No, I didn't know," he mumbled as he extended his arm to her with a bow. When she placed her hand on his, he looked up and saw that she was scrutinizing him carefully. He straightened his back and without any delay led them to the dock.

A rower jumped off the first boat they came to and bowed his head as they approached. "Hello, Prince Adam and Lady Teela, I'm honored to be your rower on your ride throughout Eternos. My name is Philip."

Adam shook his hand and replied, "Pleased to meet you."

The rower then proceeded to get into the boat and extended his hand to Teela. Adam watched as she took it and very slowly walked the ramp into the boat. He quickly followed and took a seat beside her. Philip stationed himself in the back and used a large paddle to push the gondola into the middle of the river. Almost on its own, the boat drifted towards a nearby bridge.

That's when Adam noticed that a lot of people were gathering around the embankments and bridges to watch them. Once again, he found himself searching the crowd. He wondered if he would catch a glimpse of that man again, or perhaps Moraius or Janice…

Then, he felt a hand slip into his.

He looked down at the tiny hand that worked its fingers around his. He breathed deeply and turned to her. He was surprised to see that she was looking at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Did you not like this idea? We can always go back."

He shook his head and said, "No, no! I like the idea! I'm just…distracted."

"Yes, I can see that," she agreed as she squeezed his hand. "What happened? You were fine not too long ago."

Adam stared ahead of him and wondered if he should say anything. He knew it would upset her. He had a feeling Janice would be a touchy subject for a little while, maybe even until they were married, and if that were to be the case, he couldn't really blame Teela. But as he thought about it, he knew he had to tell her. Teela wanted to be his partner and his confidant. She couldn't be that if he willingly kept things from her.

Sighing and letting his head roll back so he was staring at the sky, he admitted, "I saw something earlier that's left me a little perplexed."

She leaned closer to him and whispered, "Oh, really. What?"

He pulled his head back up and turned to look at the people again. After a moment, he turned to her and took both of her hands in his. "I saw that guy…you know, the one who tried to take your shoe."

She nodded.

"I guess Mother and Father let him go as soon as they got back to the palace. Well, when I saw him not too long ago, he was talking to a couple of people that I know."

She arched an eyebrow and asked, "Who?"

He stared at her levelly and whispered, "King Moraius and Princess Janice."

Teela's eyebrows almost reached her hairline. She widened her eyes before turning to look at the crowd herself. When she didn't see them, she turned back and questioned, "Adam, why do you think they were talking to one another?"

He shrugged with a little huff. "I wish I knew. It might have been a coincidence. After all, if he's some guy who is obsessed with royalty or something, he might be trying to lift something off of them. It's possible that he was talking to them to gain their trust, so he could snatch something. It's just that…well, I have a feeling." He shook his head and repeated what he had told himself earlier. "I'm just being a little ridiculous. I know Moraius and Janice. They're good people, so I don't believe for a second that they would have put that guy up to stealing a shoe from you. That's…absurd. What would be their reasoning? They certainly wouldn't want it to commemorate the occasion. After what we heard in court, I think that's the last thing they would want to do."

Teela nodded a little and whispered, "You're probably right, Adam. More than likely, it is a coincidence."

Adam blew an unsteady breath from his lungs and settled back in his seat, which had a high backrest to separate them from the rower. He then grabbed Teela's hand and pulled her to him closely as their boat finally slipped under a bridge. He kissed her chastely and then whispered, "I'm sorry for being paranoid. We should be enjoying this instead of worrying about nonsense that probably means nothing every second of the day."

"It's okay," she assured him as she kissed him again one last time before the boat emerged from under the bridge on the other side.


	33. Durriken the Oracle

Teela's Visitor Chapter 33

He would have given anything to have taken back several conversations that they had that day. They were still on their royal outing; they were still traveling down the stream in a gondola for the people to look at them…and they were completely quiet. They had talked more on the carriage ride and that's when they were farther apart from one another! Right now would have been an ideal time to simply talk about whatever couple's in love talk about. He laughed when he realized he had no idea for sure what that would be. Since the last two years of his life had been filled with nothing but battles and magic in some form of another, he had difficulty steering his thoughts away from that.

He hoped that wouldn't be at the detriment to his relationship. After all, he had effectively killed their good moods with his earlier revelations. They were supposed to talk about their relationship and the future on this trip, but what did he do? He talked about it all right, but he focused on the negative. Now, Teela was worried, too. " _Good job, Adam_ ," he chastised himself.

Feeling Teela shift in his arms—after they had stopped speaking earlier, they had wrapped an arm around each other's waists and she had laid her head on his shoulder—he turned his head slightly to look at her. She was staring at him quizzically. "What's so funny?" she asked softly.

He sighed. He wished he had something funny to share right about now. "Nothing," he answered solemnly; "It was more of a…sarcastic laugh, I guess you could say."

She snuggled back to his side and questioned, "Well, what are you being sarcastic about?"

"This outing," he said without much thought into his words.

He felt her stiffen immediately and she pulled away from him altogether. "What do you mean?"

Realizing his words were poorly chosen, he sighed again. "I didn't mean to ruin our outing. Things were going so well." He watched her eyes widen slightly. "I know we're supposed to be talking about the future and you encouraged me to tell you what was on my mind, but sometimes I need to keep my mouth shut. I don't regret telling you; I just regret _when_ I told you. I could have given you the bad news later and we could have continued to enjoy our date. I shouldn't have told you about my worries with A.J., because now you're worrying, and I shouldn't have mentioned that guy with Janice and Moraius either."

He watched as Teela knitted her brow. " _Uh oh, I'm in trouble._ "

"Okay, Adam, let's get a few things straight right now…"

He closed his eyes and shook his head as he thought, " _Adam, ol' boy, you just keep sticking your foot in your mouth_."

Then, he noticed that she was quiet.

He opened his eyes and saw that she was staring at him regretfully. "I didn't just embarrass you, did I?" she whispered. She gestured her head backward towards the rower and then looked at the people watching them.

He had indeed forgotten about their presence, but he wasn't embarrassed at all. "Of course not!" he exclaimed. "I just hate that I keep saying the wrong things, that's all!"

She gave him a grim smile and said softly, "Adam, you're never wrong to say how you feel with me. I want to know, and I want to know _when_ you're feeling it, so I can help. What I hate is that you're so used to bottling things up that you're unaccustomed to sharing and worrying obsessively over it when you do! But don't worry. We'll break that."

"I don't like worrying you needlessly, though," he insisted. "Most of the time, it's just me being paranoid. I worry all the time. It's not fair to burden you with all of that."

She shrugged. "Well, I would worry even more if I didn't know what was bothering you, so this is the lesser of two evils. Don't push me away, Adam, and don't keep things from me. That would hurt more."

He stared into her eyes and he could tell she really meant that. He smiled and whispered, "I love you."

She laughed a little and mumbled, "You're so easy to please." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Their lips met in a soft kiss that they immediately deepened as the boat sped up a little as they got closer to a narrowing bridge opening. The crowd had started cheering a little when they saw them kiss, but that didn't stop the couple because soon their activities were hidden when they went through the tunnel. Adam took this opportunity to slip both of his arms around her and to pull her onto his lap. He ran his hands down her back and when they broke their kiss, he whispered, "You look so beautiful right now. I wish we were alone."

She ran her eyes up and down his body seductively as he did the same to her and replied, "Me, too." But before they could do or say anything else, the gondola had reached the other side of the bridge, so the public would have seen them again in a matter of seconds. They pulled away from each other reluctantly and sat back in their seats properly. Adam draped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side, though.

"I really do hope you had a great time today," he said as he glanced at the people who were waving and making sounds of adulation at them. "I know this is really for the people, but I hope you will look back on it fondly in later years."

She chuckled a little and pushed on his side. "Of course, I will. How can you doubt that? I've had a wonderful time! So many things have happened to make this outing unbelievable!" She turned back slightly towards the rower, even though she couldn't see him, before meeting Adam's eyes as he turned to her. "I got to see our son," she whispered, "and you've given me such an amazing gift." She glanced down at her finger and then his. "Today has done nothing but make me love you more and truthfully, I thought that was impossible."

He intertwined their fingers together and asked timidly, "Even with all the baggage and hassles that come with me?"

"Yes, life will never be boring, after all."

He laughed heartily at that and exclaimed, "I suppose that is a good and optimistic way to look at it!"

She nodded and grinned playfully. "That's what I thought."

They quieted down for about a minute before Adam spoke again. "Do you want to go back to the palace after this?" he asked.

"That's fine," she answered honestly; "I'd like to get you all to myself for a little while without an audience."

He nodded with a grin as he glanced back at the people. Instinctively, he searched the crowd for the Morainian monarchs, and even Skeletor, but luckily he didn't see any of them. Also, thankfully, the dock they were to stop at to get back on the carriage was within sights. Their outing was almost over and nothing catastrophic had occurred. It was something to be thankful for.

=)=)=)

Adam and Teela arrived back at the palace in record time. He had told Daniel that they wished to go home and the driver complied. He had no idea if his father had something else planned, but he figured the masses had ogled at them enough.

As the carriage pulled into the courtyard, they saw Orko and Cringer in the distance running towards them. "Adam! Adam!" Orko cried.

The prince immediately jumped down from the carriage and asked worriedly, "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Teela, not waiting for Adam to help her, jumped down and rushed over to them, as well. "What's going on?"

Orko kept his eyes on Adam and replied, "The Sorceress contacted Man-at-Arms! Something is wrong at Castle Grayskull!"

"What?" the prince exclaimed. "Why didn't they contact me right away?"

Cringer cleared his throat a little and answered, "Well, it's not like you c-c-could get away from your own outing when the entire city is watching you. Not to mention, I don't think she…" He looked at Teela briefly before continuing, "…wanted to interrupt you."

Adam sighed and looked at Teela sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, Teela, but I have to see what's going on. I don't want them to try to handle something without me and end up getting hurt."

She nodded and whispered, "I understand." She looked almost forlornly in the direction of Castle Grayskull, and he knew she wanted to go with him. Teela was still the Captain of the Guard, but now she was on palace duty from here on out. No more going out in the field, and Adam had plans for her to abide by that, as well. He didn't want her to get hurt or kidnapped, especially now that their relationship was common knowledge. He didn't want anyone to use her to get to him and his father.

"I'm sorry," he said as he slipped one arm around her waist and pulled her to him tightly. Their lips met again and he kissed her softly, running his lips over hers slowly.

"Be careful," she stated demandingly when he pulled away.

He squeezed her hand, brought it to his lips to kiss it, and answered, "Always."

=)=)=)

Adam and Cringer stood in front of Castle Grayskull and were surprised to see that the drawbridge did not open upon their approach. Usually, the Sorceress would see Adam coming and would open the drawbridge the moment he stepped foot on the bridge. Adam didn't see Skeletor around, so he didn't think any obvious threats were present. He didn't understand why things were so different now. Regardless, he was going to get inside despite the fact that he obviously wasn't and hadn't been invited.

Quickly, he took out the Sword of Power from his back, pointed at the drawbridge with it, and yelled as he had as He-Man, "By the Power of Grayskull, I command the drawbridge open!" He had never said those words as Adam, so he was curious to see if he would have to turn into He-Man to get the incantation to work. He was almost surprised to see the castle obey him. He had been ready to turn into He-Man. In fact, he had already been in his usual stance before holding the Sword of Power aloft.

When the drawbridge thudded to the connecting bridge, Cringer and he quickly but quietly made their way inside. He knew the Sorceress had to be there somewhere. If something was wrong at the castle, she wouldn't have left it. Besides, he had seen the AttakTrak parked outside. He knew Man-at-Arms was present, as well.

Stealthily, he crept to the throne room and stuck his head just inside the door. As predicted, the Sorceress and Man-at-Arms were there. They were standing before her mirror, but nothing was on it besides their own reflections. Adam wondered if they had already viewed something on it or if they were about to.

Adam was just about to step into the room completely and announce his presence when the Sorceress' words stopped him cold.

"I do not know why he would do this or why he would be interested. He has never taken an interest in Adam before and he certainly never tried to interfere. All I know is that he will attempt to do so in the very near future, and it's possible he might succeed."

He watched as Duncan shook his head. "We can't let this happen. You should see Adam…and Teela, for that matter. They're both so happy when they're together, and I honestly believe that they're good for one another. She gives Adam someone to talk to on a more intimate and personal level. I'm sure there are things about his experiences that he doesn't want to share with me as an older father figure. He would naturally be more honest with Teela since he loves her. Likewise, he provides Teela with a sense of stability. She knows he will always be there for her, and he grounds her. He keeps her from getting too out of hand. I know her explosion at me for not helping Adam hide his secret would have been a lot worse if Adam had not been there to calm her down and plead with her."

"Yes, they are good for one another," she agreed. "I'm glad to see my daughter and Adam so happy. I don't want to see that changed. That's why you must go to his home and question why he is involved in this."

Adam didn't need to hear anymore. All he knew was someone was threatening his relationship with Teela and he was going to do everything in his power to prevent that. He stepped inside the room and stated loudly, "Whose home are we going to, and what is he trying to do specifically that is going to destroy my relationship with Teela?"

Both Duncan and the Sorceress jumped. "Adam!" Duncan cried, "Have you been listening the whole time? You shouldn't have snuck up on us and you should have made your presence known right away!"

"Why?" he questioned. "Why should I? It would only provide you with an opportunity to change topics or to hide the truth!"

"Do you really think we'd do that?" the Sorceress questioned.

He shook his head and replied honestly, "I honestly don't know. It seems like you two have kept a number of things from me in my lifetime, from Adora's existence to why I was solely responsible for hiding my identity as He-Man."

"This is completely different," she countered.

He shrugged and asked, "It doesn't matter. Just, please, answer my questions: who's this guy and why is he threatening my relationship with Teela?"

The Sorceress frowned and said, "I wish I knew, Adam. I've received another vision and it has shown another oracle trying to interfere with your future."

"Another oracle?" he asked in shock. "Who is he?"

"His name is Durriken. He is generally a good man, so I don't understand why he is doing this. I have attempted to contact him several times today, but I have been unable to reach him. He is either with people who do not know who or what he truly is or he is ignoring me. I hate to think that it's the latter."

Adam looked at Duncan and inquired, "When and where are we going?"

" _We_ aren't," Man-at-Arms replied. "You are staying at the palace and continuing your courtship with Teela."

"Our outing is over! Courting does not mean I'm to be with Teela every second of the day! If someone or something is threatening my relationship with her, then it is my duty and responsibility to face that problem head on. I want to talk with this man and find out why he is doing this. That is my right."

The Sorceress walked over beside him and said softly, "Very well, Adam, but be careful. If he is trying to interfere with your future, he could very easily do so by hurting you or Teela."

Adam walked away from everyone and stated calmly, "Then, he won't know it's me." He lifted his Power Sword and shouted, "By the Power of Grayskull…"

After he turned into He-Man, the Sorceress continued, "Regardless, I want you to be careful, He-Man. We do not know what Durriken's real reasons are. I do not know if he has turned to evil or if there is a legitimate concern that he is trying to resolve. We must address this delicately."

He-Man nodded and replied, "Understood." Then he asked, "Where are we going?"

"He is currently staying in Morainia," she answered.

The world slowed down to He-Man. He almost couldn't believe he had heard her correctly. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Duncan and the Sorceress turned to him worriedly. They could tell he had suddenly become upset, more so than he already had been. She stepped forward and repeated, "I said he's currently staying in Morainia."

He asked softly, "What does he look like?" When she opened her mouth to describe him, he interjected, "An image…can you show me an image?"

The Sorceress quickly waved an arm at her mirror and as it shimmered to create whatever image she had selected, He-Man closed his eyes and squeezed them shut tightly. He already had a feeling as to who the man would be. He wished desperately for the image to be someone—anyone—else, because if it was _him_ , he knew why he was involved…

"He-Man," the Sorceress called out to him gently.

He felt Duncan walk to his side. Feeling strength in his mentor's presence at his side, he opened his eyes…

He had known it would be this man. He had been prepared for it as much as he had feared it. Despite that, it nearly brought him to his knees. "Oh, Ancients," Duncan and he mumbled simultaneously. They each turned to one another and each knew what the other was thinking.

It was the man who had tried to steal Teela's shoe!

Now the only question left was why, and he feared that he already knew this answer, as well. He had probably been asked to interfere by King Moraius, himself, but only time would tell. He looked at Duncan determinedly and stated firmly, "Let's go! We don't have a moment to lose!"

Running from the room, He-Man and Duncan ran towards the drawbridge to get outside. They were both determined to get down to the bottom of this.

=)=)=)


	34. The Future that Once Was

Teela's Visitor Chapter 34

"I don't get it," Duncan said as he pointed the Windraider towards Morainia and turned on the aircraft's rocket boosters. "I don't understand why someone we hardly know would care about your relationship with Teela."

He-Man looked down at the Evergreen Forest below them as they zipped by. He knew the reason all too well. Or at least, he thought he did. He sighed and wondered if he should tell Duncan the truth. He hadn't even shared it with Teela in fear that it would upset her. Glancing briefly at his friend, he knew he had to tell someone and since Man-at-Arms would be with him on this journey, he decided it might as well be him.

Looking in front of himself and avoiding his mentor's eyes, He-Man admitted, "I think I might know why he's doing this."

He could feel more than see Duncan turn his eyes towards him. "What? How do you know?"

He-Man tapped his hand against his leg nervously and fidgeted a little. "Remember when my father made the announcement at court that Teela and I were courting?" He finally looked at Duncan to see the elder nod. "Well, something happened that day. Teela and I went out onto the balcony to be alone. Father didn't know we were out there, so we overheard a conversation he was having with King Moraius."

Duncan wrinkled his face in confusion. "King Moraius? Of Morainia? What does he have to do with any of this?"

He-Man snorted and replied, "He possibly has everything to do with this." He met his mentor's interested gaze and continued, "Father and he were discussing my courtship with Teela. Moraius was complaining, because apparently my father and he had been planning on…introducing Janice and me to one another, if you catch my meaning."

Duncan widened his eyes but didn't interrupt.

"He was saying things like Teela wasn't good enough because she wasn't nobility. He said that he knew I liked his daughter and that we'd be good for one another." He-Man shook his head. "I think he wants to sabotage our relationship, so I can be with his daughter."

"That's pretty strong allegations, He-Man," Duncan replied softly after a moment. "How did you make these conclusions? I see no indication that King Moraius is involved in this."

Sighing, He-Man turned his head away and looked down at the trees below. "I saw Durriken during my outing… I mean, after he stole Teela's shoe. He was in the crowd when Teela and I were on our way to the dock for the gondola ride. He was speaking with Moraius…and Janice." He shook his head. "The man lives in Morainia. How can all of this be a coincidence?"

He looked back at Duncan; he hoped naively that maybe his friend could provide a likely explanation. He knew it was improbable but the hope was strong. He didn't know at first how to take Duncan's following words:

"That is troubling, He-Man, but that still doesn't answer the question of why Durriken would want to get involved? I don't believe Moraius is the kind of man to bribe someone to help him. So, what is his motivation?"

He-Man knew it was confession time. "Perhaps, he saw Prince Adam's original future." He looked back at Duncan to see his bewildered expression. "I've gathered that in my future before Teela and I changed it…I was to be with Janice," he whispered. "She was going to be my wife. That party we had last night would have been the night that Janice and I…got together. That's the big event that Teela and I changed that made our new futures possible. I haven't discussed it with the Sorceress, but I know it's true, nonetheless. Perhaps Durriken and Moraius knew of this future and they want to get things back to the way they were. It's the best guess I have at this moment."

Duncan remained silent for a few moments contemplating He-Man's words until finally he spoke. "It's possible, He-Man. What does Teela say about all of this?"

He-Man rubbed the back of his neck and looked away guiltily. "I haven't told her. All she knows is what she overheard at court. She doesn't know about the future that we changed. I didn't want to worry her needlessly. I had no intention of ever acknowledging that possible future aloud."

Duncan looked startled at this revelation. "Do you still plan to keep her in the dark? He-Man, if we don't succeed today, Teela will need to know! She must know that a threat to your relationship is possible and imminent!" He shook his head and added, "And, frankly, I wouldn't have thought you would keep something like this from her after hiding your true identity for so long. I thought you would have had enough of keeping secrets from her."

"I have," He-Man retorted miserably, "but I didn't want to worry her any more than I have. This whole business with Morgoth and possibly losing A.J…well, it's a little overwhelming and I didn't want things to keep piling on her."

"Morgoth? A.J.? What are you talking about?" Duncan asked worriedly. "It seems as though you're keeping things from me, too."

He-Man leaned his head back and thumped it lightly on the back of his seat as he stared up at the blue sky. He groaned and said, "I haven't intentionally kept things from you. It's just that we haven't really had a moment alone where I could talk to you, I guess." He finally straightened himself and looked at Duncan. "You know who Morgoth is, right?"

Duncan nodded. He-Man could tell that Man-at-Arms was worried.

"Well, the Sorceress and I had a vision at Castle Grayskull. In it, Morgoth returns and kills her."

"What?" Duncan gasped. "We must do something. We…"

"I know, old friend," He-Man interrupted. "You know I'm going to do everything I can to prevent that from happening."

They remained silent after that for almost a minute before Duncan finally spoke again. "And, who is A.J.? That's who Teela and you were talking about earlier today."

He-Man swallowed roughly. He honestly didn't know if he wanted to share A.J. with Man-at-Arms or anyone else right now. A.J. was something he had shared only with Teela—A.J. was their son, their dream, and it was personal. But he realized that they would be talking about Duncan's grandson and the soldier would be nothing but supportive…He sighed. "A.J. is someone none of us have met, yet," he began carefully. "After I had that vision of Morgoth, I had another that the Sorceress did not see. It was of A.J." He held Duncan's gaze and admitted softly, "A.J. will be your grandson, one day." At Duncan's look of astonishment, which consisted of a gaped mouth and bulging eyes, he smiled and said, "He's my son. He's Teela's son. We're going to be a family…and we're nervous that something might happen to prevent A.J.'s birth. I know the possibility frightens her because it frightens me, and to add this nonsense with Janice…I didn't want to overwhelm her."

Duncan suddenly lowered the Windraider. He immediately climbed out and walked away.

"Duncan?" He-Man questioned. He followed him after telling Battlecat to stay put. He then grabbed his mentor's shoulder when he caught up to him. "What's wrong?"

Man-at-Arms twirled around and asked unhappily, "How long did you plan on keeping Teela's pregnancy a secret?"

He-Man coughed suddenly and then stuttered. "Wha-? No! Uh, uh, you don't understand! T-Teela's not pregnant, yet! We haven't been having sex, I assure you! I just meant that A.J. is in our future after we're married!"

Duncan smirked at him. "I'm glad to hear that Teela's not pregnant out of wedlock. I know you wouldn't lie to me about that, but don't think you're fooling me with your other comment. Randor, Marlena, and I know about the times Teela has spent the night in your room. Lying about that will make people wonder when you are and aren't telling the truth in regards to your relationship with Teela, so don't make a habit out of it."

He-Man gasped and felt his ears get hot from embarrassment. Even though he had suspected that they might know about Teela being in his room on a number of occasions, he never thought Duncan would bring it up, especially like this! "What?" he cried. "Duncan, you've gotten it all wrong! In all honesty, Teela and I have not made love. We've talked about it…"

At Duncan's narrowing eyes, he explained determinedly, "Yes, I'll admit she has stayed the night in my room and we have spent a lot of time together, but we have _not_ slept together…at least, not in the way that you mean. We've decided to wait for now. Teela's worried about the test of purity, among other things, and I didn't want to dishonor her or myself. Honest, Duncan, we haven't gone that far, yet."

Duncan seemed to scrutinize him for about half a minute before he relaxed. "I believe you."

He-Man nodded and looked away, still feeling embarrassed. He then turned abruptly and made his way back to the Windraider. When he got inside, Man-at-Arms quickly joined him and said, "Well, let's hurry up and get to Morainia, so we can make sure I get to meet my grandson."

He-Man smiled lightly as the Windraider rose into the sky and shot forward at a high rate of speed.

=)=)=)

He-Man barely noticed the chill in the air as he walked through the snow towards Morainia. Duncan had parked the Windraider outside the city because they had decided to visit Durriken, if they could, without going to Moraius' castle. The Sorceress had told Duncan where the oracle lived before Adam had shown up, so he led the way.

Within several minutes, Duncan, He-Man, and Battlecat were standing in front of a small, white house that almost looked to be made of ice or glass. Duncan walked to the door and knocked on it soundly.

Several seconds later, Durriken opened the door. The man took one startled look at Duncan and exclaimed, "I just got home from Eternos! I have not bothered Prince Adam or Lady Teela anymore!" Obviously, he had recognized Man-at-Arms. The man then looked past Duncan's shoulder to see who stood behind him. "He-Man!" the oracle yelled in bewilderment; "I haven't done anything that warrants your visit!" He tried to shut the door, but He-Man quickly ran forward and prevented Durriken's actions.

He held the door open and said, "Please, Durriken, we are not here to accuse you of anything. We have come, because we need to ask you some very important questions. We need your help in understanding something that will occur and you're the only one who can answer us."

The man stopped pushing and looked at He-Man in astonishment. "Oh…well, why didn't you say so?" he cried. He opened the door wider and exclaimed, "Please, come in!"

They all stepped inside and were surprised to discover that his home looked like the Sorceress' laboratory at Castle Grayskull. Bottles of liquid were scattered everywhere. Some were beakers that were being heated over a fire. Others were just sitting there. "What's all this?" He-Man asked, gesturing around.

"Oh, just some potions," Durriken replied. "Nothing bad, I can assure you, He-Man."

The oracle led them into another room and gestured towards a couch while he walked to a chair that was already placed in front of them. When everyone was settled, Durriken asked, "Now, tell me how I can help you."

He-Man opened his mouth to speak, but Duncan squeezed his forearm. He looked at his mentor and knew Duncan wanted to handle this for now. He tilted his head downward in acquiescence.

"I'm here on the behalf of the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull," Duncan stated, "but I might as well say I'm here on the behalves of Prince Adam and Teela, as well."

"I thought you said this didn't have anything to do with…"

Duncan interrupted, "The Sorceress told us of your plans. We want to know why you are trying to interfere with Prince Adam's relationship with Teela. They love each other and want to be together, so we don't understand why you plan on getting involved. You do not know either of them."

Durriken frowned. He looked from Duncan to He-Man and back again. When he did this several times, he stood up and walked away. He paced a little in front of them and when he finally turned back to them one more time, he replied, "I may not know Prince Adam or Teela, but I know a good deal about them. Since the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull sent you, I know she probably told you that I can see the future."

When Duncan nodded, Durriken nodded, as well, and stated, "Then, you have your answer, so you shouldn't have wasted your time with this trip to see me. The truth is I'm trying to stop something horrible from happening."

He-Man couldn't remain quiet any longer. "What's going to happen? Maybe I can help to prevent it."

Durriken stared at He-Man. "Maybe you can." He paused for a moment and then said, "The question is not what is going to happen. The question is what isn't going to happen! For most of my life, I have had visions of the future. One that I have seen frequently is Prince Adam's future."

"Why are you seeing visions of him?" Duncan asked.

"I wish I knew. I just see random things and I try to help out when I can to make things better. Anyway, Prince Adam's future was a bright one. He was to do many great things to make Eternia a better place to live…but now things are changing in that future."

He-Man walked in front of him and asked with a deep voice, "What kind of things?"

"Dyperia's future has taken a turn for the worst," he revealed. "Janice's brother, Prince Esker, will prove to be unfit for the throne in a few years' time. I won't reveal why out of respect for that family, but it is something that is unavoidable. The only thing that saves Morainia and its people is the union between Prince Adam and Princess Janice. Morainia becomes part of King Randor's kingdom. Together, Prince Adam and Princess Janice will do miraculous things together, especially when they become the King and Queen of Eternia. They will bring unity to the planet in ways that Randor has only dreamed of. With the help of He-Man, Adam will bring peace to the entire planet. He will even eventually bring his sister, Adora, home from Etheria. I can't see what happens there, but I only know this to be true. Recently, however, that future seemed to have disappeared and I see something else in its place. I know Prince Adam marries Teela, but I can't see much beyond that. I fear that something has interfered with that future to prevent Prince Adam's destiny. He must marry Princess Janice or I fear he will never get the opportunity to do the things I have said." He turned away from He-Man and looked at Duncan. "I am not trying to hurt Teela or Prince Adam, but I have to get them back on their proper paths. I planned on using magic to make Teela turn away from Prince Adam, so I needed an item of hers…"

He-Man suddenly walked away. He turned his back on all of them and he heard Duncan call his name questioningly. When he turned back around, he stated firmly, "Adam can help Morainia and do all of those things you said without marrying Janice. No one has changed Adam's future for evil purposes. Adam and Teela changed it themselves when they decided to be together."

"How do you know this?" Durriken asked, skeptically.

"The Sorceress of Grayskull," he answered. "Why do you think we're here? She told us what happened and we're here to beg you to stop."

"But what about the future? Doesn't she care that everything has changed?"

He-Man stepped in front of him and clutched his shoulder. "Of course, she cares, but she also knows that Adam's decision to be with Teela was made out of love, not some kind of interference from some ill-purposed third party. Adam's future with Teela might be just as bright or brighter as the one he would have had with Janice."

Durriken pulled out of He-Man's grasp and asked, "And, what about Princess Janice?"

"What about her?" he asked softly.

"She is already in love with Prince Adam. She liked him since the moment they met. She knows what her future would have been and she's heartbroken. Can you imagine losing the love of your life before you even got to be with that person?"

He-Man swallowed roughly and whispered, "I'm sorry for Princess Janice, but for meh…Prince Adam to leave Teela now, he would be losing the woman that he loves. That's worse than losing someone you have never been with, because they've already been together. And, believe it or not, Adam and Teela have seen their future. They are going to have a family together and they will have joy in their lives. They want to be together. Adam is no longer the same person that he would have been when he got with Janice. He believed Teela didn't love him then, but now he knows differently, so he can't imagine being with anyone else."

Durriken folded his arms in front of himself and asked, "And, how do you know this, He-Man?"

He looked down and answered, "Let's just say that Prince Adam and I are best friends. I know how he feels. He doesn't love Janice—he loves Teela."

"But Prince Adam doesn't know how his relationship with Janice will affect Morainia, Eternia, and his sister. Surely, these things will make him question whether it is wise to put his future with Janice aside." He walked back in front of He-Man and whispered, "I'll make a deal with you, He-Man, I'll stay out of it _for now_ on one condition: you must agree to tell Prince Adam of the future that I have seen. Tell him of my worries and of Princess Janice's love. If you do this, see what he says. If Adam chooses to be with Teela, I will stay out of it until I see how it affects the future. If I get an inkling that things are worse, I will get involved again. Will you tell him that?"

He-Man placed his hands on his hips and stated, "That almost sounds like a threat."

"It's not," he replied. "I just want Adam to know all the facts before he makes a decision of who he will marry. And, I want him to understand why I got involved if I ever do. I am not trying to bring any harm or pain to the Prince of Eternia. I am merely trying to save Morainia and make Eternia the wonderful place it should be."

"Teela and Adam can do those things, too," He-Man insisted.

"Then, they will have nothing to worry about," Durriken said. "Good day to you, He-Man, Battlecat, and Man-at-Arms. I think it's time for you to leave." He walked to the front door and opened it as Duncan and he followed from behind. As they stepped outside, the oracle called out, "Don't forget to tell Prince Adam what I said and remember I'll be watching the future!"

Once Durriken closed the door, He-Man looked at Duncan and asked abruptly and worriedly, "You think Teela and I can save Morainia and bring peace to Eternia, right?"

Man-at-Arms grabbed his shoulder and answered, "Of course, I do. We just have to make sure that it happens."

He-Man leaned against Battlecat, who walked next to him and said, "Argh, we will make it happen, He-Man!"

Shaking his head sadly, he whispered to Duncan, "How many things must I do and prevent for Teela and I to have happy relationship with one another in the future? Everything keeps piling up."

"I don't know," Duncan replied softly, "but she's worth it, right?"

He-Man looked up and smiled with a nod. "Yeah," he answered. "Yeah, she is."

 


	35. Teela's Solution

Teela's Visitor Chapter 35

He-Man tapped his fingers softly against the console of the Windraider. He had been doing so since they left Morainia, but he couldn't help it. It was a nervous habit he sometimes had when a task ahead seemed insurmountable.

"He-Man," he heard Duncan say softly.

He leaned back in his seat and rested both of his hands on his legs purposely. "I'm sorry, old friend," he replied, already knowing his thumping had probably gotten on the elder's nerves.

"Want to talk about it?"

He-Man met Duncan's gaze and sighed. Normally, his mentor would have been the very person he sought out in these situations, but he didn't know how appropriate that would be anymore since all of his recent problems involved Teela in some form or fashion. Regardless, he knew he had to tell someone and it was either going to be Duncan or the Sorceress, and he had the same problem either way so he might as well tell him.

"I'm worried," he admitted. "Do you think Durriken will keep his promise?"

Duncan looked out ahead of them while flying, but he glanced at He-Man every so often. "I don't see a reason why he would lie, He-Man, but truthfully, I don't think that makes a difference."

"What?" he questioned, slightly astonished.

Man-at-Arms shrugged. "Durriken said he wouldn't interfere unless the future changed for the worst. That's pretty subjective. What he considers bad or action-worthy might be very different from our opinions. I think we have to be prepared for anything at any time."

He-Man sighed again and looked down from the Windraider at the ground below. "So, I have to tell Teela what's going on," he mumbled.

"I'm surprised you haven't already," Duncan replied, shaking his head a little disapprovingly at him.

He-Man turned back to him. "She knows _almost_ everything! I told you why I didn't tell her about my old future! Things are just so complicated, and I don't want to worry her!"

Duncan reached out a hand and grabbed his forearm to give it a comforting squeeze. "What you need to consider, He-Man, is that you are not courting a wilting flower. Teela is strong, and frankly, if you keep her out of this and she finds out, you're going to have quite a problem on your hands. I think you run the risk of ruining your own relationship. Durriken wouldn't have to lift a finger."

He-Man thumped his head forward on the console softly and exclaimed miserably, "You're right! I do realize that! It's just…" He ran his finger through his hair as he held his head and rested his elbows on his knees. Then, his voice got softer. "I'm just so afraid of losing her, Duncan. She's all I've ever wanted. When I dream of the future, I have always pictured Teela at my side as my wife and the mother of my children. To be so close to having it and then to lose it…it's unbearable. Even the notion frightens me."

"Then, you have to tell her," Duncan said softly. "You don't really have a choice."

He sat up again and replied, "I know that. I just know she's going to be angry. I kept this thing about Janice from her because I thought nothing would come of it. I thought it would make her jealous and insecure. I mean, it's not every day a man walks up to his girlfriend and says, 'Oh, you see that girl over there, well, for the last twenty years, oracles have seen her as my future wife, but you and I changed that. Isn't that great?' That's not exactly comforting. Teela might start wondering if it is possible for me to still fall in love with Janice since I would have in my other future. She might start wondering if Janice is possibly better suited to be my wife. After all, she is a princess, and Teela worries about being a mere commoner. We've already had that discussion. I just don't want to lose her!"

As the Eternian palace came into view in the distance, Duncan insisted one more time, "Then, tell her everything you just told me. Tell her of your fears. My daughter is strong and she can handle it. You know that. I believe wholeheartedly that she'll fight for you…and A.J."

He-Man smiled at the mention of his son and nodded slightly in acquiescence.

=)=)=)

Prince Adam walked down the corridors to his bedchambers quietly. He didn't want to wake anyone up since the sun had set long before Man-at-Arms and he had actually reached Eternos. As he walked next to Teela's bedroom, he thought about knocking on the door to get inside to tell her everything.

Instead, he kept moving. He wouldn't wake her to give her bad news. It could wait until morning.

Opening his door and moving inside quietly, he almost turned the overhead lights on when he noticed from the soft moonlight shining onto his bed that he had a sleeping visitor. He crept over quickly and stared at her. Teela must have decided to wait on him after he hadn't shown back up this afternoon. Undoubtedly, he had worried her.

He smiled and thanked the Ancients that they had found one another. He loved her so much and she was exactly what he needed to make his burden as He-Man a lot more bearable. He knew he had that thought often recently, but it was the truth and he would never stop being grateful for it.

Deciding to let her sleep, he went to his dresser and closet to gather his night apparel. Then, he stepped into the bathroom and shut the door quietly. Instead of jumping into the shower, he turned on his bathtub. He figured the latter would make less noise than the other. Besides, a bath would be relaxing and it would help him loosen his tight muscles after the stressful afternoon he had endured. After he shed his clothes, he stepped into the water and sat down. He closed his eyes as he rested against the back of the tub.

He didn't know how long he had kept his eyes shut or if he had drifted off to sleep, but the next thing he saw when he opened them again was a tub full of bubbles. Knowing that he hadn't put anything into it besides water, he sat up immediately and looked around. He jumped when he noticed Teela sitting on the edge of the tub somewhat behind him.

"Teela!" he exclaimed.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile. "I heard the water running, so I figured I'd come in here to see what you were up to."

Adam blushed softly as he realized the scene she had probably walked in on: he had been as naked as the day he was born and sprawled out in the clear water. Of course, he had to remind himself that she had already seen him naked recently, so he had nothing to be embarrassed about.

He cleared his throat a little and picked up some of the bubbles from around him. "What's all this?" he asked.

"Well, you looked so relaxed, I thought I might as well add some ingredients to make it even better. Bubbles, bath oils…me."

He widened his eyes at that. "Y-you?" he questioned softly.

She shrugged. "Well, I was tempted, but I thought I'd wake you and get permission before I went that far. I wasn't sure if you would think we're ready for something that…intimate yet."

Worded that way, Adam wanted to shout that they were. He would gladly grant her any desire she had, but he stopped himself. He knew what she meant, and she was right to wait on him to wake to discuss the issue. After all, sharing a bath or a shower was a pretty big deal that could lead to other things. He turned to face forward and asked, "Do you think we're ready?"

He heard more than saw Teela stand behind him. She walked around to his side and sat on the edge of the tub again so that they could see each other's face. "I think we are. If it makes you feel any better, I'll keep my underwear on." She shrugged.

He couldn't help it—he laughed. Despite Teela's answering smile, he could tell she wanted an answer. He looked down at the water which would cover each other's bodies from the other and sighed. He nodded and whispered, "Okay, it's a big tub. It has more than enough room for several people."

When Teela stood, it was at that moment that he realized instead of wearing his clothes for the night, she had actually brought some of her own. She was in her own housecoat, which she promptly took off. Underneath was the same nightgown she had worn on the day they had first kissed. When he saw her reach for the hem, he turned his eyes away and closed them to give her a sense of privacy.

He heard and felt Teela enter the tub, but he didn't open his eyes. He would wait until she gave the okay. It came in a matter of seconds. She touched the side of his face and pushed on it slightly to get him to face her again. He opened his eyes and smiled at the sight. Because she was sitting slightly forward and not leaning back like he was, Adam could see her chest in all its glory, but he stopped himself from staring. He met her eyes and said, "Another big step. Are you sure you're ready?"

"I wouldn't have gotten in otherwise," she replied.

He watched as she scooted next to him and relaxed in the water. When she closed her eyes, he raked his eyes down her body even though it was now covered by the bubbles. He looked back at her face and asked softly, "Are you wearing your underwear?"

She opened her eyes abruptly and laughed loudly. "Oh, in any other situation, Adam, that would seriously be an inappropriate question."

He felt his ears burn from embarrassment, but he knew she was teasing him. In fact, he could tell she had enjoyed the question.

"What do you think?" she asked as she batted her eyes at him innocently.

He started to rise a little to look at the bathroom floor, but she grabbed him.

"Uh huh, that's cheating!"

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose it doesn't really matter."

He watched as her smile widened to a toothy grin. "No, it doesn't," she agreed.

They both remained quiet for a little while until Teela finally spoke. "So, are you going to make me guess, too?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought you would have seen when you walked into the bathroom…"

She had a similar expression on her face for a moment until she realized what he was talking about. "Oh, I did. I'm talking about something else: are you going to make me guess what kept you from the palace for so long today? It was supposed to be our day."

Now, he knew the moment had arrived. He had honestly hoped that he could have avoided it until morning, but logically, he knew the sooner he told her, the better. He grabbed her hand as he sat up straight and turned to face her in the tub. "Teela," he began softly, "you know I love you, right?"

Her face immediately shadowed. "Oh, no! It's more bad news, isn't it?"

Adam closed his eyes as he debated how he was going to tell her. Should he admit to keeping it from her? Should he simply tell her what happened today without any commentary? In the end, he knew he simply had to tell her and he would deal with _how_ it came out later. "I'm afraid so," he said softly. "You know I went to Castle Grayskull to help Man-at-Arms and the Sorceress with whatever problem they were having during our outing."

She nodded fearfully.

"Well, it turns out that they were concerned about an oracle named Durriken. The Sorceress had another vision and it showed this man trying to sabotage our relationship."

She narrowed her eyes suddenly and asked angrily, "Why? Who is this guy?"

"That's what I wanted to know at first until I discovered who he really was."

"Who is he?"

He looked down at the water for a brief moment to gather his strength to say the words. "Teela, he's that man who tried to steal your shoe."

She gasped. "What? Why?"

Now, Adam did turn away from her. He moved to the middle of the tub now and stared at the wall ahead of him. "There's something I didn't tell you. Looking back now, I see that probably I should have, but I didn't think anything would come of it, so I didn't see any point."

"What is it?"

He heard the disappointment in her voice. Whether it was manifesting into sadness or anger, he couldn't tell yet, but he knew one would be coming. Still not looking at her, he admitted, "Remember when we had the royal ball to celebrate our courtship?"

"Yes," she answered tersely.

Knowing from her tone that she was now angry, he closed his eyes sadly and continued, "I had a conversation with Janice when I went to get you something to drink."

He heard a sound escape her throat. Finally, he turned around to look at her and he saw tears gathering in her eyes. He moved back to her, grabbed her hand, and held it tenderly. "Janice told me that the ball had been planned for weeks. Supposedly, our fathers had intended to introduce us at that time, so that we could possibly court. She admitted that she looked at me favorably as a…you know."

He watched as she nodded a few times.

"It was at that time that I knew, Teela, but before I tell you exactly what that is, I want to tell you that I love you and nothing will ever change that. You're the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. You're the one I want to have children with and grow old with. You're the woman I want at my side through it all."

"I know, Adam," she said after a moment of staring into his eyes. "Tell me."

He let out a shaky breath and whispered, "When the Sorceress told me that our relationship had changed something big in the future, I had no idea what that something could be, but that night, I figured out what it was. Our relationship changed what would have happened at the ball, Teela. Janice and I would have…become a couple."

Teela breathed deeply and frowned. "And, why didn't you tell me this?"

"I didn't want to cause unnecessary heartache. I don't love Janice—I can't imagine myself with her now that I have you, so I thought it would be pointless to mention it."

"But now you have to?" she questioned.

He looked down and nodded. "Like I said earlier, Durriken is an oracle. He saw that future and he was…trying to make that future happen again. I gather that he was going to use your shoe in some kind of magical spell to make you fall out of love with me, or something. He mentioned it briefly when I spoke with him."

"You spoke with him?"

He nodded. "Your father and I went to Morainia to speak with him at his home."

"Morainia?" she questioned loudly. She shook her head and asked, "Did Moraius or Janice put him up to this?"

"I don't think so," he answered, "but it's possible. Regardless, Durriken told me that in the old future, Janice and I saved Morainia. Her brother is going to be unfit to run the kingdom, so when we married, our kingdoms merged and we saved the Morainian people a lot of hard-ache."

A single tear slipped down Teela's cheek, and he cried, "But now that we know, we can still help the people of Morainia without my marrying her! I don't need to marry Janice to do that!"

"No, no you don't," she agreed as she wiped at her tear. "I just wish you would have told me this from the beginning!"

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I honestly didn't think anything would come of it."

Teela gripped his shoulders tightly and stated firmly, "Listen, Adam, I've already said it numerous times, but I'm going to say it one more time and I want it to sink in! I am in this with you now! When you find something out that might affect you in the slightest, you should tell me, and if you think you can't, then we really need to rethink this…"

Before she could finish the words, he cried out in angst. He couldn't hear _those words_ fall from her lips or he would have nightmares for years to come. "You're right! I should have told you, and I will tell you everything from this point forward! There are no more secrets, Teela. I promise you that."

She nodded and then asked, "What does my father think about all of this? Does he think it's possible that Durriken could succeed in breaking us up?"

Adam shrugged and answered, "He wanted me to tell you what's going on, so you could prepare for the attempt. Durriken claims he won't try anything now unless something awful happens in the future, but as your father pointed out, 'awful' is subjective."

She nodded again and whispered, "Why does it seem like fate is conspiring to keep us apart?"

He didn't want her talking that way. He knew what road that would lead them down. "If all of this has taught me anything, it's that there is no such thing as fate. Fate is what we make of it, and our decisions are what determine the future. I choose to be with you, Teela, and I won't accept any other outcome."

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. "I won't accept anything else either," she whispered. "But that does leave us with an important question."

When he gave her a questioning look, she asked, "What are we going to do to prevent Durriken, Janice, and Moraius from breaking us up? I don't believe for one second that an attempt won't be made. You are…worth fighting for. I know that, but I fear they might know that, too. Anyone with half a brain would."

Adam listened and shook his head softly. "I honestly don't think there is anything we can do. It's not like we can go accuse them of something they haven't done yet. That would cause a lot of problems politically for my father. Besides, it might be the very thing that would drive them to do something. I guess we just have to be careful when it comes to our relationship and remember to talk things through if we have a disagreement. When it comes to using magic to hurt us, I don't know what to expect. There is nothing we can do to prepare or prevent that."

Teela looked down at the water for about a minute before whispering, "No, there is something we can do to prevent them from tearing us apart."

"What?" he asked curiously. He would be happy to try anything if he knew it would keep them together.

Without answering, Teela pushed Adam against the back of the tub. She then kissed him softly before deepening the kiss by slipping her tongue over his. At the same moment, she slipped her leg over his body and straddled his hips.

"Teela?" he questioned in astonishment. She couldn't possibly be implying what he thought she was implying.

She kissed Adam lightly again as she ran a hand down his chest. "Adam, don't you see?" she questioned before giving him several more chaste kisses. "We have the ability to make sure they never tear us apart." She kissed the left side of his throat and then sucked on it lightly.

He moaned and she continued, "We can speed this whole courtship up. We could make everyone accept an early engagement and marriage. Your vision proves that it happens in the near future anyway. Maybe this is supposed to happen."

Adam used both of his hands to grab Teela's head. Very softly, he pulled her back so he could stare into her eyes. "What are you saying?" he asked hoarsely. He was breathing deeply from the desire she was already producing in his body. "What does my vision prove?"

Teela shook her head roughly to make Adam let go. When he did, she raked her hands down his torso again, but this time she slipped one under the water.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt her grab his manhood. She positioned him between her legs and at that moment, he realized she wasn't wearing any underwear. "Teela?" he questioned again, in complete and total shock.

She kissed him as she held him and herself in that position. When she pulled their lips apart, she mumbled, "We saw in your vision that you're still very young. A.J. was maybe four or five in it. That means his conception happens very soon. Why can't it be now? If I'm pregnant, we'll have to get married quickly to prevent anyone from objecting to the union. Your parents would support it and my father would. Janice wouldn't want you after you've had an heir to the throne with me. It prevents them from tearing us apart and we can focus on stopping Morgoth instead of stopping them. We can only handle one crisis at a time, and this will make sure that's all we will be up against."

Adam didn't know what to say to that. Her logic made sense, but he didn't want to rush into this. So, when he felt Teela steady herself with one hand on his shoulder and guide his manhood with the other, he slipped his hands under her thighs and lifted her up to prevent her from penetrating herself on him.

"Adam!" she cried out in frustration.

He swallowed roughly and shook his head. "Not like this. Not like this."

He felt her let go of him, so he quickly moved his legs as he set her back down. She wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her close. He could feel the tremors running through her body. He breathed deeply, rubbed his hand up and down her back comfortingly, and said, "Teela, you know I want you. I want you so badly it hurts sometimes, but…rushing into this feels wrong. I don't want our first time to be done in haste, because we felt forced into it by people who are trying to tear us apart. I want to make love because we honestly want to express our love. And, I certainly don't want our first time to be in a bathtub."

Teela pulled back a little and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Adam. I wasn't thinking straight."

When he nodded in acceptance, she pulled her head back a little more to look into his eyes and continued, "But I still mean what I said. I think we should try to…conceive A.J. Trust me when I say that it's not just because I want to prevent them from taking you away from me. I honestly want this. I want to show you how much I love you. I have from the beginning. You know that. We don't have to worry about tests of purity if I'm pregnant. I'll be carrying the heir to the throne. They can't say much there. Besides, I want to meet the little guy and I know you do, too."

"I do," he agreed, "but…"

He honestly didn't know what to say or do. Part of him wanted to give in to the temptation. They had been dancing this dance of seduction from the beginning. He was quite aware that eventually they would come to a real crossroads on whether or not to make love before marriage regardless of what they had already said. He had noticed that each sexual encounter had brought them a little closer to the actual act every time, so they had been preparing themselves for the inevitable moment.

The question was if this was the right moment. Yes, he wanted her, and any guy would be a fool to turn her down under normal circumstances, but this wasn't normal.

He felt her hand grab him under the water again and he moaned as she moved her hand slowly.

"Please, make love to me, Adam. I know this isn't the ideal time you have been hoping for, but I want you, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please help me make it happen."

He closed his eyes and reasoned with her. "But Teela, if you're pregnant, you won't be able to fight against Morgoth. And, what if Durriken tries something anyway?" He shook his head and whispered, "This act will more than likely change nothing. There is not even a guarantee that you will get pregnant if we do this."

"I know," she whispered resting her forehead against his. "But it wouldn't be for nothing, Adam. That's what you're not getting. Yes, their threats are speeding things along, but it hasn't changed my desire at all. You know I've wanted this for some time. Threats are what frightened us away from making love in the first place, and now this threat is making us question that decision. Our decision on this topic has never truly come straight from the heart. I know it's hard to separate ourselves from what is happening around and to us, but all I know is that I love you, I want you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And, if you want the same things…"

"You know I do," he interrupted.

"Then, what's stopping us from expressing that love and doing all that we can to make sure no one takes that away from us? No one will blame us, and the reasons why we chose this moment will not change the sincerity of our actions or how we'll feel during the act. If anything, it will make it more intense to know that we're trying to bring A.J. into the world."

Adam leaned forward and kissed Teela softly.

 


	36. Adam's Decision

Teela's Visitor Chapter 36

Adam rested his head against Teela's forehead and breathed deeply. He was trying to control himself, but it was proving to be difficult. Teela's actions with her hand were making it hard to think, so much so that he had to grab and pull it away from him to have any chance of succeeding.

"Adam?" she questioned softly.

He could hear the worry in her voice, but he continued to concentrate on breathing. Once he felt himself relax, he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "Teela, we can't do this," he stated firmly. He watched with dismay as her face crumpled and she tried to pull away. "Teela," he said, tightening his hold on her so she couldn't go anywhere.

"I just keep making a fool of myself, don't I?" she whispered. "You probably think I'm some sex-crazed…"

He placed a finger over her lips and replied intensely, "I think nothing of the sort! Teela, I want you just as badly as you want me. I also feel the same urgency that you do. I want to protect our relationship, it's just that…I want to do _it_ the right way." He shook his head and then gave a little laugh. "I suppose we have to thank my training as a prince for my insistence on that."

She raised a brow questioningly.

"I don't want to dishonor you. And, I certainly don't want our son to pay any consequences that might derive from our decisions regarding him. If you get pregnant, that might very well make my parents consent to an early engagement and marriage, but that doesn't mean it will solve all of our problems. It will only bring more. I don't want anyone to question A.J.'s right to the throne. Illegitimate sons are not looked favorably upon, and while I would never title him as such, others might."

Teela nodded sadly and agreed, "Of course, you're right. I…I wasn't even thinking about that. I just get so nervous and a little crazy when I think about losing you."

"I do, too," he admitted. He kissed her forehead tenderly and added, "But, just so you know, I think announcing an early engagement would be absolutely the wrong thing to do, anyway."

She jerked her head back in shock. "What?"

He nodded and explained, "If Durriken or anyone else plans on stopping our relationship, the news might make them speed up their actions. They would simply act without much prior thought, and that would probably make things worse for us."

Teela closed her eyes and stated, "You're right again! I don't know what I was thinking!"

He leaned over and kissed her lips chastely. "You were thinking with your heart," he whispered. "There's nothing wrong with that as long as one of us is thinking clearly, no offense." He chuckled at her sudden glare. "But that does still leave us with the question of what we're going to do to stop them."

She frowned and replied, "You said there's nothing we can do."

Adam smiled and said, "And, you've made me realize that I was wrong. There is something we can do. I may have been right about the timing and the order of things, but your solution would stop anyone's attempt to tear us apart."

Teela wrinkled her face and mumbled, "Okay, now I'm confused."

Adam laughed loudly before grabbing her hands and staring at her intensely. "Let's get married," he suggested. He watched her confusion morph into shock.

"WHAT?" she cried.

He nodded and exclaimed, "It makes absolute sense! I can give the same argument you gave for making love, but only this way, we'll be doing things the right way."

"But, Adam, won't your parents stop us? You already said the people would never accept an early engagement. You just said it wouldn't be wise to announce it! And, even if we could convince the king and queen to let us marry now, wouldn't they want to celebrate with the people? I suppose it doesn't matter, though! Your father has been rather insistent on us following tradition—he isn't going to go for it at all."

He squeezed her hands and whispered, "I never said we should tell our parents before the fact."

They stared at each other for almost a minute before she visibly shook herself. "Are you suggesting that we elope?"

He nodded. "Yes," he answered. "But, this will only work if we do certain things…and I'm not sure how you will feel about them. Just know that if it's too much, I would never force you. If you want to wait to see how things will go from this point forward without doing anything, I will be more than willing to do that. I just don't want to see you worry and I don't want to worry. This could solve all of that."

She bit her lips for a moment and then asked softly, "What will we have to do?"

Taking a deep breath, he scratched his brow and looked down at the water. "Well, you would have to…uh, you know…" He looked up at her when she touched his chin with a wet finger. Breathing deeply again, he simply stated it. "You would have to consent to the test of purity." He watched her blink rapidly, so he quickly explained. "If we elope, everyone is going to assume it's because you're pregnant; therefore, we will have undeniable proof that you were pure before marriage. If we marry shortly after you're tested, it will show that we didn't think you were pregnant and that we simply got the test performed because we had the intention of eloping." He shrugged. "What do you think? I know the prospect of doing the test isn't exactly thrilling, but…"

Teela looked at him worriedly and interrupted his words by asking, "Will you go with me? You know…when I do the test?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Now, it was Teela's turn to take a deep breath. "Okay, then let's do it. Let's get married."

Adam grinned widely and pulled her to him tightly. Their lips met instantly, but before it got too intense, she pulled away. "I think…we need to calm down and get in a new environment," she said as she motioned at their bodies and splashed the water a little with her finger.

He laughed. "Good idea," he agreed. "You first." He closed his eyes and leaned back in the tub as he waited for her to get dressed. Once he heard the door close, he opened his eyes and got out himself. He dried off and dressed as quickly as he could. He couldn't wait to get back to his fiancée. Just the word that he could now call her privately made him extremely happy. When he stepped into his bedroom, he saw Teela already in his bed with the covers on his side folded back for him to get in, as well.

He walked over to her and asked with a mischievous grin, "Are you sure you want to sleep with me tonight? You won't have too many nights alone, if any, after we're married."

She cocked an eyebrow and said, "That doesn't bother me at all." She paused for a moment and then asked, "Do you want to be alone?"

"Not in the slightest!" he exclaimed as he slipped into bed and pulled the covers over himself. Teela chuckled and scooted over to lie beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her. "Now, go to sleep," he whispered rubbing her arm lightly. "When we get up, I'll start arranging things discreetly, but just remember we have to act normal or our parents are going to know something's up."

She yawned as she ran her fingers over his chest absentmindedly. "I'll try my best. I love you, Adam."

"I love you, too, and good night."

=)=)=)

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly on his face and he could feel heat scorching his body. He had the foresight to know even in his sleepy haze that the warmth he felt wasn't only from the sun. He kept his eyes closed but tightened his right arm around the large mass that was cuddled closely to his side. That's where most of the heat was emanating from. Adam opened his eyes after a few moments and stared at the beauty resting her head on his chest.

He couldn't believe it: she was his fiancée now.

The thought was enough to have him smiling for the rest of the day, but to counteract that joyfulness, he reminded himself that it needed to remain a secret. He couldn't acknowledge her new title publicly just yet. Regardless, the love he felt at that moment made it all worth it. Soon, she would be his and they wouldn't have to sneak around to be together like this. And, finally, they could be together in any way that they chose without having to worry about tests of purity or what the people might think. Soon, they would be husband and wife and it all wouldn't matter.

At that moment, Teela began to stretch and make little high pitched grunts as she extended her arms in all directions. Adam had to throw his head back into the pillow roughly to avoid getting hit. "You know, you could poke someone's eye out if you aren't careful," he teased.

He didn't know what he had expected from Teela, but it surely wasn't the reaction he received. He watched as she calmly brought her hands down, turned her head to kiss his chest softly, and then lifted her eyes to meet his. "I'm sorry," she replied softly. "I'm not used to sharing a bed with anyone, but I'm sure I'll learn soon enough." She then winked at him.

He grinned widely and said, "Good morning."

"Good morning," she repeated.

He stretched a little himself by merely flexing his muscles and rolling his neck around. "Sleep well?" he questioned as he felt her lift her head from his body.

Teela sat up to stretch again and yawned. "Yes," she answered. She then turned back to look at him and asked, "Did you?"

He nodded, and after a few moments, Adam laughed softly.

"What?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged and exclaimed, "Oh, nothing. I just...I'm surprised by how calm we are this morning."

She cocked an eyebrow at him and asked, "And, why wouldn't we be?"

He extended his hands slightly and gestured back and forth between the two of them. "Well, here we are planning on eloping behind our families' backs very soon. We already know they won't be happy, and yet, we don't seem to have any worries even though that's all we've done since we've gotten together."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Why be nervous when we're finally getting what we want? Everything else doesn't matter."

He sat up and remarked, "That's a good way to look at it."

She nodded and got up from his bed to presumably get ready. He watched her for a few moments and then asked suddenly, "Are you okay? You know, about the test of purity, becoming a wife, and everything else?"

She turned to him as she slipped on her housecoat. "Yes, I'm okay. I'll admit I might be a little anxious, but I know we're going to do all of this together so I know everything will turn out well."

He admired her confidence, her courage and her strength. She was his little trooper. Feeling the need to change the subject and get on normal everyday topics, he asked, "So, anything new on the agenda for today?"

She shrugged. "Not really. We're supposed to have our combat lesson today after I train with my men. What about with you?"

He chuckled a little. He realized at that moment that even the simplest conversations would lead back to what they had decided. He replied, "Oh, I've been pushing things back for several days now, so I really should get back to my royal duties, but it's going to have to wait one more day."

"Oh, really? Why is that?"

He hopped out of bed, stood behind her, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the side of her neck and answered, "Because we have a lot to do before we get married. I have to set everything up. I have to talk to my healer to do the…test. I have to find someone who will be willing to marry us without the king's knowledge. I also have to find us a couple of trustworthy witnesses."

She turned around slowly in his arms and asked curiously, "Just how quickly are you planning on us getting married? Today?"

He laughed. "I don't know if I can pull everything off today, but I do want to get married as quickly as possible...if that's okay with you."

"Of course it is," she whispered. He leaned down and kissed her chastely. He then pulled away and went to his closet to pull out the clothes he would wear that day.

=)=)=)

Adam sat inside the infirmary waiting room and fidgeted for what felt like the millionth time that hour. He had walked inside earlier and asked to speak with Haelan, the Royal Physician, but was informed that he was with a soldier who had broken his foot in training that morning. He had wondered briefly at that moment if Teela had worked her men harder than usual because of her pent up se…He remembered blushing at his own thought and he found himself blushing now. Teela would kill him if she knew what had crept into his mind. Anyway, he had told the nurse that he would wait, but unfortunately, the longer he waited now, the more nervous he became.

Just as he decided to leave and do something else on his list of things to be done, Haelan finally showed his face. Haelan was an older gentleman who had been his parents' healer before he was born. In fact, he had been the one who informed the king and queen that they were pregnant and having twins. The doctor stepped out of the back and said, "Ah, Prince Adam. I was told you were here to see me. I've been waiting for you to come to me for quite some time. Come, my boy."

Adam thought the healer's words were odd, but he didn't question them as he followed Haelan to his office.

Adam sat in one of the seats facing the doctor's desk and watched as Haelan sat down in front of him and folded his hands calmly on his desk. "So, Prince Adam, what can I do for you? Do you need more protection?"

Adam gaped at the healer for a moment before shaking some sense back into himself. "Uh…what?"

The healer pulled out a pen from his desk and said, "Oh, so it isn't that." He then reached down into a drawer and pulled out a file. He flipped it open and continued, "Since your father had asked me for condoms to give to you, I figured you would be stopping by to get more at some point. Forgive me for assuming. Really, what can I help you with?"

Adam knew his face was as red as an apple now, because he could see that his hands were. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a squeak. He then cleared his throat and tried again. "Actually, it's the complete opposite," he answered. "I came to set up an appointment for Teela."

Haelan widened his eyes. It was his turn to cough now. Then, he got up, walked over to a filing cabinet, and pulled out another file. "I see," he said very cautiously as he sat back down. "Teela has had regular physicals every year since she joined the Royal Guard." He flipped the folder open and said, "I suppose you're making an appointment for her for a different reason."

He nodded.

The healer tapped his pen against the desk lightly and asked calmly, "Do you know how long it has been since Teela last had her period?" He then shook his head and cried before the prince could respond, "By the Ancients, Adam, you know those condoms were given to you so you could prevent this!"

Already knowing what Haelan was thinking, he sighed and replied, "You've gotten it all wrong, doctor. We don't need a pregnancy test either. Teela's not pregnant."

"Praise the Ancients!" Haelan exclaimed. "I didn't know how in the world I was going to break the news to the king."

Adam cocked an eyebrow and said, "Surely if she were, that would be _my_ responsibility to tell him."

"You would think so, but he wants to know anything regarding you as soon as I know it. Most of the time, he knows before you do. That's always been the rule since you were born."

That was new information that Adam had never known about. But he was glad he was being told now. "Well, this doesn't deal with me directly, so I would appreciate it if you could keep _this_ to yourself."

When the healer didn't answer, the prince grumbled to himself, suddenly knowing that he wouldn't get such a promise out of him. After a few seconds, he told him why he was really there. "Teela and I would like to set up an appointment for you to...you know, check her…recent status in…her relationship, if you will…with the opposite sex."

Haelan stared at him for a moment and then cleared his throat. "Are you talking about the test of purity, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I am," he answered, relieved that he wouldn't have to try to ask again. He knew he had sounded like an idiot a second ago, but he hadn't wanted to speak so candidly about Teela like that with another man, doctor or not.

The healer wrote something in Teela's file, then flipped the pen onto his desk, and leaned back in his chair. "May I ask why?"

Adam shrugged and answered, "People are already questioning if Teela and I should be courting. They are already accusing her of being promiscuous, so this will be proof enough to quiet that objection. I don't want to ignore their accusations, because this is Teela's reputation we're talking about." Of course, Adam was lying—no one had questioned Teela's innocence yet, at least not publicly, but he knew it was a good excuse, and it would be one that wouldn't send up any red flags to his parents if Haelan told them.

"Okay," the healer said sitting up again and picking up his pen. "How about this afternoon? You just show up when you both have time and I'll fit you in."

Adam nodded. "Okay, thank you," he replied. He was about to stand to leave when Haelan said his name.

When the prince settled back in his seat and looked at him questioning, Haelan asked, "So, Teela and you haven't been having sex?"

Adam then stood and answered, "Obviously. We wouldn't be asking for you to do this test otherwise."

The healer stood, as well, and replied, "Well, your parents think you are."

He shrugged and responded, "Well, I guess they'll find out differently. Thank you, Haelan." Without waiting for a goodbye, Adam left the infirmary. Now that he got that out of the way, he had to find someone who would be willing to marry them, and he knew just who to ask.

 


	37. The Test of Purity

Teela's Visitor Chapter 37

So far, things were going rather smoothly. Adam didn't know if that was a bad omen or a good one. Normally, things were difficult for him as sad as that was to say. His meeting with Haelan might have been uncomfortable, but he knew the healer didn't suspect that he was planning on whisking Teela away to exchange nuptials behind everyone's back. He had given a good reason that didn't involve marriage for the test of purity.

Now, the next obstacle to face was finding someone to marry them. The danger lay in the fact that he would have to ask someone to do it and if he or she refused, he knew the person could possibly run to the king. That would definitely ruin everything, so he knew he had to choose wisely. He already thought of someone, but now that he was on his way to see him, he hardly knew if he was the right choice. After all, they hardly knew one another.

Adam stood in front of an AttakTrak and wondered if he should walk to where he needed to go or drive. He knew he was being paranoid, but he couldn't help but think if he took an AttakTrak, maybe the guards or his parents would think he was rushing off to do something or wanted to hide his identity. Usually, he walked most places unless he was leaving Eternos. The only reason he was considering using an AttakTrak now was because he was in a hurry. He had a lot to do.

Taking a deep and calming breath, he realized he had to do things as he normally would. If things appeared normal, no one would suspect a thing.

Walking away from the AttakTrak, the prince left the palace grounds by the side gate in the courtyard. He ventured east and prayed to the Ancients that his choice of minister would be the right one. Ironically, once Adam was through with that long prayer and musing intensely on the matter, he found himself standing in front of the Worship Center of the Ancients. There, he would find the person to marry him and Teela, or at least he hoped he would. He knew he would be asking a lot. After all, technically, they would be going against their king and the person would know it without a doubt.

Even if there hadn't been a royal wedding in Eternos since King Randor had gotten married, everyone on the planet knew how the proceedings went. Even the younger generation did despite never witnessing one. If a prince was getting married, the king was the usual person to perform the actual ceremony, because he would also be bestowing the title of princess onto the prince's bride. That wouldn't be happening here, and it was at that moment that he realized he should have brought that up with Teela. When they married, she would not be the Princess of Eternia. She would merely be his wife. When it came to Teela, he preferred the term and position "wife" more than "princess" anyway, but he'd like for her to be both one day. And, despite what they were doing behind his father's back, he knew that she would be eventually. King Randor might be mad at first, but he knew his father would come around and then hold a big celebration to make Teela the Princess of Eternia. It would be like a second wedding, so everyone would get what they wanted. Cementing his belief in his mind, he nodded and ascended the steps of the worship center.

When he reached the door, he turned around slightly to see who was watching him. He knew he had probably caught the attention of others, and sure enough, almost everyone on the street was glancing at him every so often. Turning back around, he acted as though nothing were out of the ordinary. He stepped inside. Most would think he was there to worship or pray, or at least he hoped that's what they would think. He had never done any worshipping here. Most of the services he had attended happened at the palace. Their presences tended to be a bit distracting when people are trying to worship someone other than the Royal Family, so they stayed away from those public gatherings.

But this wasn't a time for one of those meetings. It was the middle of the day.

He walked into the main worship hall and looked around. The ceiling was at least twenty feet above him and each wall had several large stained glass windows that stretched from the ceiling to the floor. Each depicted scenes of the past from stories that had been passed down from generation to generation. His father had brought him here a couple of times while discussing the Ancients when he was younger and later to admire the architecture and art when he had grown an appreciation for such things when he had gotten older.

Now, he was there for reasons that a commoner would be there. It felt awkward and yet exciting.

As he approached the center aisle between the pews towards the altar, he heard someone call out his name.

"Prince Adam!"

He turned around to see Daniel walking out of a side door and sighed gratefully. He was just the man he was looking for, but then he frowned when he saw several other ministers walking out behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

The ministers approached him hurriedly, so he quickly smiled and extended his hand to Daniel. "I'm here to see you," he replied cheerfully. He was trying to give the impression to the others that he considered Daniel a friend now and that he was there to discuss normal things. He didn't want to give any indication that he was there on some type of business, because then they would begin to speculate on what that could be. He definitely didn't need that to happen since his courtship with Teela was still fresh in everyone's minds and they might go there right away.

Daniel shook the prince's hand, and Adam could tell that he knew something was up. Daniel seemed to be scrutinizing him rather intently. "Would you like to step into my office?" the minister asked cheerfully, as well.

Adam smiled in relief. Daniel must have realized something was up that he didn't want known. Just his presence probably told the minister that, though. "Yes, please," he answered.

Daniel quickly motioned for Adam to follow him and he did, but it took a little time thanks to the ministers wanting to greet the prince in various ways.

Soon enough, though, they went into the side halls of the center, made their way towards the back, and then descended the stairs. Daniel's office was the next door to the last. Daniel opened his office door and turned on the overhead lights. "So, Prince Adam," he said as he walked farther into the room, "this certainly is a surprise."

The prince nodded. "Trust me, I know."

"Is something wrong?"

Adam sighed. In a way, there was but he didn't know how far to get into that with Daniel. He knew he had to give a good reason as to why Teela and he were in such a rush to get married. Otherwise, the minister might think it was simply their hormones getting the best of them. If Daniel thought that, he would probably turn them down. Deciding to be as truthful as he could, he nodded. "Yes, there is," he replied, "and I was hoping you could help me."

Daniel sat down in a chair in front of his desk and motioned for Adam to take the other. Each moved their chairs to face one another. Afterward, Daniel said, "I'll do anything that I can. How can I help?"

Adam looked down at the floor for a moment before meeting his eyes intensely. "I know what I'm about to ask is going to be…a lot to handle. I do recognize the enormity of my request, but I have nowhere else to go and no one else to ask."

Daniel widened his eyes significantly. "By the grace of the Ancients, Your Highness! What's the problem?"

Adam started fumbling with his own fingers nervously and replied, "Teela and I love one another. I know you know that."

Daniel nodded. Adam could tell he had no idea where this conversation was going to go.

"It has come to my attention from the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull that some people are trying to tear Teela and me apart." At the gasp he heard from Daniel, he continued more confidently since he knew the minister got the severity of this, "I cannot let that happen. I love her, and I cannot lose her. But despite how much we love one another, one person who is trying to come between us could succeed. He has magic and he's already tried to interfere once."

Daniel reached out and squeezed Adam's knee comfortingly. "What can I do, Your Majesty? I will be happy to offer my assistance in any way that I can."

Adam frowned and said, "I'm sure you won't really mean that in a few seconds, but I'm going to hope and pray that I'll be able to convince you." At Daniel's confused look, he told him. "I want you to marry Teela and me." When Daniel's mouth dropped open, he added, "As quickly as possible, too."

Daniel stood up and shook his head. "Your Highness!" he exclaimed in complete shock. "I…I…I'm flattered that you would think I'm worthy of such a high honor. Presiding over the crown prince's wedding is a huge deal, but…isn't King Randor supposed to do that?"

Adam ran his fingers through his hair almost exasperatedly. "Yes, under normal circumstances, my father would be the person to do this, but that's not possible right now! He doesn't…" He stood so he could run to the door if Daniel decided to spring out of it. He didn't know Daniel all that well, but he knew he was talking treason here, technically, so the minister might try. He then continued his words. "My father doesn't know of my intentions here. He has no idea that Teela and I are engaged or getting married in the near future. You are now the only other person who knows!"

"Prince Adam!" Daniel cried as he started to pace. "I…I can't be a part of this! Your father would be furious and my very livelihood would be on the line!"

Adam shook his head. "I would never allow that to happen! I promise you that my father will not take my actions out on you. I'll tell him that I ordered you as the Prince of Eternia and that I wouldn't take no for an answer." When Daniel shook his head, he pleaded, "Please, I won't let anything happen to your job or you. I promise."

He watched as Daniel paused to face him. "How can you ensure that?"

Seeing a glimmer of hope, he replied, "My father is not a vindictive man. He will understand that you were merely following orders. Besides, after Teela and I are married and we have…consummated it, I will tell him that we're married and why. He will believe me and he will understand, I promise you. There is more to this than you know, but I don't want to reveal any of it until _after_ we are married. Please believe me when I say that I wanted to have a normal courtship with Teela. It's just that things are getting in the way. And, just so you know, no, she's not pregnant or anything like that. The threat to our relationship is very real."

Daniel shook his head again, walked behind his desk, and then sat down. He stared at Adam for a few seconds and said, "I like you and Teela, Prince Adam. I could tell yesterday when I chaperoned your outing that you loved one another. This urgency to get married wasn't there yesterday, though."

Adam seized the opportunity those words provided and exclaimed, "Precisely! It wasn't there, then. Things have happened since and I want to ensure that Teela and I have a future together. You have that power, Daniel. Please believe me when I say I wouldn't ask if I didn't find it absolutely necessary. I will owe you for the rest of my life if you do this for me…for us!"

For several moments afterward, neither man moved. Then, Daniel sighed, nodded his head, and said, "Okay, Prince Adam, I'll do it. But I'm trusting that everything you've said here today is true. This is necessary and you will make sure I'm not labeled a traitor to the crown."

"I promise," he repeated.

Daniel looked down at his desk and asked, "When do you want to get married?"

"As quickly as possible. Teela is going to undergo the test of purity later this afternoon, though."

Daniel let out a shaky breath and said, "Come here after that, then."

Adam widened his eyes. He hadn't expected for the minister to suggest that very day.

When Daniel saw his expression, he asked, "What? If this is as urgent as you claim, then the quicker the better, right?"

Adam nodded quickly. "Yes."

"Then, run along and get Teela here before I change my mind, Prince Adam."

As Adam quickly went to the door, Daniel called out, "Oh, and Your Highness!" When Adam turned back around, he added, "Don't forget, you'll need two witnesses. I hope you'll be able to find two in a short period of time."

He nodded and said, "Don't worry. I will."

=)=)=)

Adam walked through the Eternian palace feeling like a bundle of nerves. He almost had everything in order. Now, he just needed two people whom he could trust to serve as witnesses. He knew he could have trusted Cringer, but unfortunately, the feline wouldn't be able to sign his name and he wasn't technically an official citizen of Eternos or any society really, so he was off the possible list.

He then thought about calling out to Adora. According to the Sorceress, he had to ability to reach her with his mind even at this distance. Adora could even bring another witness with her from Etheria, but he knew that was too risky. She would have to arrive at Castle Grayskull and the Sorceress would wonder why she was suddenly arriving without notice. That would make the Sorceress pay attention and she might discover their intentions. Not to mention, the same would happen with the citizens of Eternos if they saw her. He just couldn't risk it.

Then, a perfect person suddenly came to mind: Orko! He was perfect. The little Trollan would never betray them and run to King Randor. He would actually be happy to be a part of the wedding, too. Now that left just one more person to find. He thought about it long and hard, but he just couldn't think of anyone. Then, he thought of Teela and who she might like to have there. Obviously, it couldn't be her father, but the person should at least be her friend. Yes, Orko was her friend, too, but he thought his future bride might appreciate having a close female friend at hand. Someone like…like…Ileena!

The only thing he had to do was ask her to come to Eternos, because he knew she would agree to standing in as witness without a doubt in his mind. Hopefully, he could get her there that very day!

=)=)=)

Much later in the afternoon, Adam approached Teela's door. Not only had he spoken with Ileena and told her where to go once she arrived in Eternos, he had set up several surprises for Teela to have later that night. He truly hoped she enjoyed all of them.

Now that things were finally happening and the hour of their wedding was approaching, Adam found himself extremely nervous. He had a lot to be nervous about. As soon as he found Teela, he would be escorting her to the infirmary to undergo the test of purity. He didn't have any worries about the results—he knew Teela had been telling him the truth when she had stated that she was untouched. Instead, he was nervous about her actually having to go through with it. What if she took one look at him and decided he wasn't worth it? He wanted to say it was an irrational fear but the more he thought about it, the more he realized she had given up a lot already to be with him. Her whole life was changing every day because of him. The possibility of her deciding she was making too many sacrifices terrified him.

Also, he was nervous about that night.

 _Their wedding night_.

Teela and he had been fighting their desires since this all started, and tonight they wouldn't have to any longer. He would finally be able to express his feelings for her like he truly wanted to. While he was looking forward to the event, he was also very uneasy. Teela and he had already discussed their concerns on this topic once: they were both worried that they might not please the other. They both had little experience with making love. In fact, he had wondered several times how much Teela actually knew, but he hadn't thought it would be an appropriate question to ask.

As for him, he knew a fair amount on the topic. His parents had been very honest about sex as he had grown up. They had never lied to him about storks bringing babies or anything of that sort. His mother had very candidly told him about the things that happened between a man and a woman. He supposed that helped him remain a virgin for so long. The topic had never been taboo, so it didn't seem like this alluring thing that must be experienced right away. Sure, as he had gotten older, sex had become a topic he didn't want to discuss with his parents, but when he was younger and had a question, they had never shied away from giving an answer.

Also, he had…seen some magazines and images on computer screens. Not a great quantity, of course. He had never owned such items since he was the crown prince. Maids cleaned every crevice in his room every day, so there would have been no safe place to hide such items. He knew if they had discovered anything in his room, it would have been the talk of Eternos within that hour.

Instead, he had been exposed to the little he had seen through meetings with other boys in his youth. He used to go out on training missions with cadets who had hoped when they grew up to join the Royal Guard. During many of those times, they had brought adult magazines with them to pass around the campfire. When he was an older teenager, he had several friends who liked to view such things on monitors in their rooms. When he had visited, sometimes they would talk him into taking a peek despite the embarrassment he had always felt at such times.

Somehow, he was glad of those stolen moments of what some would call lewdness. Because of them, he had some ideas on what to do…and what not to do. He wasn't going in blind. That brought a little comfort.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind of those thoughts. He didn't need to show up to Teela's room in a state that wouldn't match the occasion. When he finally stepped in front of her door and gave it a soft knock, he wondered if she was actually inside. He hadn't seen her since that morning, because they both had been busy and he had skipped their combat lesson. He was sure Teela knew why and had suspected that he wouldn't show up anyway.

It was only a matter of moments before Teela opened the door. She stood there in her usual uniform. He could tell by looking at her face that she was extremely nervous, but she stepped out into the hall and asked as confidently as she could muster, "Haelan?"

He nodded. "Yes, he said we could show up at any time this afternoon," he replied softly.

She looked down at the floor and said, "Well, we might as well get this over with."

She turned around abruptly and began to walk away, but he grabbed her hand. When she looked back, he pulled her to him and cupped her cheek. "Are you sure? Teela, we don't have to do this. I can tell you're scared and…"

She didn't let him go any further. "Yes, I'm sure. I want to marry you and this is something we have to do in order for it to happen. I assume you have everything else set up, as well."

When he nodded, she whispered, "When are we getting married?"

"Tonight," he answered just as softly.

He grinned at the shocked expression that settled on her face. He could tell it wasn't a bad shock—it was the kind that told him she really hadn't expected him to pull it off. Despite this knowledge, he asked anyway, "Is that okay with you?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed loudly. Then, she quieted down again. "Well, let's go see Haelan. The quicker we get this over with, the quicker we can become husband and wife."

Adam simply extended his arm to her and she grabbed it. Together, they walked to the infirmary.

=)=)=)

Adam and Teela sat in an exam room inside the infirmary. As soon as they had arrived, Haelan's personal secretary had run over to them and escorted them inside. They were glad, because neither of them had wanted to explain to the sick guards and courtiers in the waiting room why they were there together. Regardless, they knew there would be speculation, but Adam was betting on Haelan having already spoken with his parents so nothing would come of it.

Teela was seated on a chair beside him and clutching his hand tightly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked again.

She glared at him for a second and asked, "How many times do I have to say yes?"

He took a deep breath and replied softly, "I just want to make sure, Teela. I don't want you to feel pressured or make you do something you don't want to do."

She was about to respond when a knock came to the door and a nurse walked inside. "The doctor will be in here with you shortly. He wanted me to ask you to put this on." She handed Teela an infirmary gown. When Teela took it, the nurse walked out quickly, leaving them to stare at the flimsy covering worriedly.

Adam bit his lip to stop himself from asking her again if she really wanted to go through with this. He knew she might pop him this time if he did.

She glanced at him and said, "This is it, I guess."

When he nodded, she reached for the clasp to loosen the armor from her bodysuit. When she sat the breastplate on the floor near the wall and started to pull the straps of her clothing down, Adam closed his eyes. After several moments of hearing Teela fumbling around, she finally called out to him, "Okay, you can look now."

He opened his eyes to see Teela wearing the gown and sitting on the edge of the exam table. At that moment, his chest tightened and he felt like he could hardly breathe. He looked down and said, "Ancients, Teela, I don't want to put you through this." He then bent over and dropped his head into his hands. "Let's just forget this," he then mumbled.

"What?" he heard her cry. She jumped down from the table and bent before him. She pushed his arms away so that they could look at one another. "Adam, I want to do this. You're not putting me through anything. I chose this."

He swallowed roughly and nodded despite not believing her completely.

"You're staying, right?" she questioned. "You know, when he gets here?"

"Do you want me to?" he asked.

When she nodded, he answered, "Then, I'll stay."

It was almost like that had been a cue, because there was suddenly a knock at the door and Haelan walked into the room without waiting for a reply.

As soon as the healer stepped inside, he looked at their positions and said, "Ah, a nervous couple. You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last."

He walked farther into the room and said as he grabbed a rolling stool, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I'm not going to hurt her." Then, he grabbed some latex gloves from a box on the counter and began to put them on. "I assume you're going to stay, so I don't need to ask a nurse to come in and witness this."

When the prince nodded, Haelan gestured with his head towards the exam table and said, "Okay, Teela, I assume you want to hurry and get this over with."

She nodded and extended her hand to Adam as soon as she stood. The couple walked to the exam table and Adam stood to the side as she climbed up it. Haelan grabbed a bottle of something and then looked at his patient. "Okay, Teela, scoot back and lie down."

She did as told but kept her legs shut. Adam noticed this and knew she was nervous again. He stayed close to her side when she had moved up, and he grabbed her hand now that the moment was upon them. He squeezed her tightly to impart comfort.

Then, Haelan gave the next order. "Okay, Teela, spread your legs apart and put them in these stirrups."

Adam was expecting her to close her eyes, but instead she looked at him and clinched his hand even tighter. He stared right back at her and whispered, "You don't have to do this." She narrowed her eyes at him and quickly did as Haelan asked.

Taking a deep breath, she said back, "Yes, I do. I love you."

Adam brought his other hand over to lay on top of their already joined ones. "I love you, too."

Haelan interrupted them. "Okay, Teela, you're going to feel something warm in a second. I want you to relax."

Teela continued to stare at Adam and then breathed in sharply. Adam assumed the doctor was now doing whatever he was supposed to be doing. He felt the irrational desire to go over there and punch him. He didn't know if Haelan had hurt her or if it was just a reflex of having someone touching her, but he didn't like it regardless.

Tears suddenly came to Teela's eyes as he stared at her and tears immediately sprung to his. He didn't know what was wrong exactly, but he couldn't even imagine what he was putting her through mentally or physically right now. "Oh, Teela, I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Then, Haelan spoke again. "Okay, Teela, you can make yourself comfortable. It's over."

Instantly, she moved her legs from the stirrups and sat up. She had continued to hold Adam's hand while she did this and once she was at the end of the table again, she pulled Adam to her when the doctor had moved away to write in her file. The couple hugged and buried their faces in each other's necks.

"I'm so sorry to put you through that," he mumbled guiltily.

"I'm okay," she assured him. "It was just…uncomfortable."

He pulled back to look at her and despite her tear-brightened eyes, he could tell she was telling the truth.

Before he could ask her if it had hurt or anything else, the doctor walked back over to them and said, "Teela is pure, Your Highness, but I know you already knew that." He handed Teela a certificate and said, "This is your copy."

Adam noticed that there were two more. "Where are those going?" he asked.

Haelan slipped one in her file and replied, "One goes here. As for the other, it goes to the king."

They both gasped at the news. "So, he does know that we're here?" Adam asked, despite having guessed that earlier. His shock came from the fact that his father was getting a copy of the results.

"Of course he does. Remember what I told you this morning, Prince Adam. He knows about everything that involves you. It's my duty to make sure that happens."

He looked at Teela to see if she was angry. She wasn't. She simply looked at him and stated, "Well, at least that saves us the hassle of telling him later."

Adam smiled lightly and nodded.

Haelan walked to the door and said, "Well, Teela, you can get dressed and you two can leave when you're ready. I'm through here."

When the couple nodded, he shut the door.

Teela stepped down from the table and went to the chair where she had neatly folded her uniform. Adam walked away and faced the wall as she began to change clothes again. It took nearly a minute, but when she finished, she pulled on his shoulder and whispered, "Where to next?"

Adam had been standing in the corner fretting over everything that had just occurred. He was afraid he had gone too far to make this happen with Teela, but now when he saw her eager expression, he knew she still wanted to marry him. Letting out air he hadn't known he had been holding, he replied, "The Worship Center of the Ancients."

When she raised an eyebrow, he explained, "A minister has to marry us, you know. It can't be the king."

She nodded and then looked down at herself. "I suppose I should go to my room and change into something more appropriate. I don't want to get married in my uniform."

Adam leaned forward and met her lips lightly with a chaste kiss. When he pulled away, he said, "Don't worry about it. It would look suspicious if we were dressed formally and leaving the palace. I have everything taken care of." When she raised her eyebrows in surprise, he smiled softly and added, "Trust me. I have the rest of the evening planned perfectly. I don't believe you will want for anything…at least I hope not."

At that, Teela smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled his lips to hers for a kiss that left them panting and yearning for more.

 


	38. The Wedding

Teela's Visitor Chapter 38

He had always heard about pre-wedding jitters, but he never thought he'd be one of the men who actually had them on his wedding day.

Adam stood in the Worship Center of the Ancients at the altar, waiting for Teela to make her appearance. After leaving Haelan's office, they had met up with Orko and Cringer at the side palace gate and together they had walked to the church. As soon as they had stepped inside, Ileena had surprised Teela by running up to her and giving her a fierce hug. When he had heard Teela question enthusiastically what she was doing there, he knew he had made the right choice in choosing her to be their second witness. He had wanted Teela to have a close female friend with her on this occasion. He had wanted someone to be there for Teela if she had some pre-wedding jitters of her own. Also, he had wanted someone to help her get ready, which was what they were doing at that moment.

Adam sighed for probably the thousandth time and started pacing again. His nerves were starting to get the best of him. Of course, he wasn't nervous for the usual reasons that guys might have. He had absolutely no problem with committing to Teela—truthfully, he had done that long ago even if she had been unaware of it at the time. What unsettled him currently was the amount of time it was taking her to get ready. He was nervous that word would get back to their parents that Teela and he were there. Just like people saw him enter the center earlier in the day, they had seen him enter again along with Teela. He worried that some imaginative people might very well guess why they were there and tell the king.

Fighting the compulsion to run to the ladies' room to see what was taking so long, he glanced at Orko and Cringer who were merely watching him. "What?" he asked, despite already knowing that he was making quite a spectacle of himself since he rarely got this nervous.

Cringer and Orko gave each other a quick glance before the feline walked over to him. "A-Adam, are you sure this is what you should be doing?"

Of all the people he thought would question his actions, Adam never thought it would be Cringer. He widened his eyes at his friend and was about to respond when Cringer added, "I…I'm not saying you sh-shouldn't marry Teela. I'm just saying that you're obviously very worried, a—and if you have any doubts that this is the right thing to do, then…"

Adam sighed. Then, he turned around and walked several feet to sit down on the raised altar floor. "I'm not worried about getting married," he confided finally. "I'm worried about someone possibly stopping us. There's a big difference."

Orko floated over and said, "Adam, I was happy earlier when you told me that Teela and you were getting married. You know that you are two of my closest friends, but as I look around at this place now and see no other friends or your family…doesn't this feel wrong?"

Adam wanted to get mad at them. This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, and yet they were trying to make him question it all. He wasn't angry, though. He knew they were only trying to help, so he would answer honestly. "There are several things that I will regret about eloping, Orko. I will regret that Man-at-Arms won't be walking Teela down the aisle. I will even regret that my parents and Adora won't be here for the event…but I have to go through with this. It's too much of a risk not to marry her. I love Teela with all of my heart, and I can't bear the thought of anyone taking her away from me. There are just too many people who have reasons to break us up now, so we have to find a way to put an end to that so we can focus on protecting Eternia. This is the only way to do that. I'm hoping that I have your support."

"Of course you do, Adam!" Cringer exclaimed, sitting beside him. "It's just that we want to make sure that you're confident about this being the best course of action. The king is going to be angry, so you shouldn't have any doubts."

Adam smiled at that and replied, "Oh, I don't have any doubts about marrying her, Cringer, none whatsoever."

At that moment, they heard the large wooden doors to the main hall opening and Adam immediately sprung to his feet. He watched Ileena walk into the room with Daniel, but there was no sign of Teela. His heart jumped into his throat and he wondered if perhaps she had changed her mind. He held his breath and continued to stare at the entrance, hoping she had simply fallen behind.

"Prince Adam," Daniel said seriously as he came to stand beside him.

He turned devastated eyes to the man, expecting to hear the worst.

"Are you ready to become a married man?"

Letting out a huge sigh of relief now that he knew the wedding was still on, he nodded and answered, "Yes, more than ready."

Daniel smiled, put his hand on the prince's shoulder, and whispered, "Then, turn around."

Adam immediately whirled around and stood in shock as he saw Teela standing at the back of the altar with a huge smile on her face. She wasn't in a stereotypical wedding dress thanks to the abruptness of their wedding, but he had asked Ileena to bring the closet thing she could find from her city and he'd pay her back. She had done well: Teela wore a white princess-cut dress. It was sleeveless and the bodice wrapped around her torso tightly giving just a hint of cleavage. The skirt of the dress flared out from her waist all the way to the floor. It had two layers: the top was a white see-through veil-like material, while the underneath layer was made of a shiny white fabric. She looked breathtaking.

"Teela," he said softly under his breath. He quickly made his way across the altar and took her hand in his. He immediately bent to kiss it. Afterward, he whispered, "You look so beautiful."

She grinned as Adam then offered her his arm. When she took it, he led her to the main floor. Daniel smiled and took his place behind them on top of the altar. "Are you sure you two want to do this?" he asked.

"Yes," they both said loudly with grins covering their faces. Adam then added, "I've been waiting for this moment for years."

"I have, too," she whispered with tears springing to her eyes.

Daniel then reached down to grab their hands and placed them together with his covering theirs on each side temporarily. "Then, let's begin," he replied. He stepped back and announced as if he were reciting the ceremony to a large audience. "We are here today to celebrate the union of Prince Adam of Eternia and Lady Teela of Eternos. I have only known the couple personally for a short period of time, but I can testify to the fact that these two have a strong love for one another, stronger than many I have seen before me in this same manner. The trials you have already gone through and will continue to go through is a testament to how much you mean to one another and how you will handle adversity in the future: you will always do it together, and that is the only way a relationship and marriage will ever work."

Adam swallowed roughly as he heard this speech. Daniel had captured the very essence of how he viewed their relationship. They had a partnership stronger than any that he had ever known. The Sorceress, Man-at-Arms, and even Cringer had filled that role in different ways at different times, but no one had ever given him the sense of comfort, peace, support, and love that Teela did. Just her presence by his side made him feel like the luckiest man alive regardless of the situation, good or bad. She had always made him feel that way, and now he would feel that way for the rest of his life, because they would face _everything_ together. Tears swarmed to his eyes as he watched a few tears slip down her cheeks. The moment was especially touching, because he knew she couldn't stand to cry; yet, this occasion elicited the response. Even more heartwarming, she continued to hold his hands and didn't hide or wipe away her display of emotion in embarrassment. He smiled at her and gave her hands a gentle squeeze. Her smile widened even more as Daniel turned to face Adam.

"Prince Adam of Eternia, you are here in the Worship Center of the Ancients to take Lady Teela of Eternos as your lawfully wedded wife. You are here to proclaim to the Ancients and the world that this is the woman you wish to spend your life with. Do you vow to love, protect, and honor Lady Teela for the rest of your lives?"

He didn't hesitate for a moment. He let out a large breath and said loudly, "I do."

Teela squeezed his hands and winked at him as she continued to smile. The response made him want to laugh with joy, but he held it in. He continued to stare into his soon-to-be wife's eyes as he saw in his peripheral vision Daniel turn to her.

"Lady Teela of Eternos, you are here in the Worship Center of the Ancients to take Prince Adam of Eternia as your lawfully wedded husband. You are here to proclaim to the Ancients and the world that this is the man you wish to spend your life with. Do you vow to love, cherish, and honor Prince Adam for the rest of your lives?"

"I do," she answered confidently as more tears slipped down her cheeks.

Daniel then looked over at Orko, Cringer, and Ileena. "Is there anyone present who can think of a reason why these two should not be joined together in matrimony?"

As Adam continued to gaze into Teela's eyes, his mind supplied horrible scenarios of his father interrupting at that moment, King Moraius showing up to claim that Princess Janice was his true wife, and even Durriken showing up to proclaim that this marriage would lead to hardships to not only Morainia but all of Eternia. It was a relief when not a sound was heard at that moment. It seemed like everyone was holding their breath to make sure nothing could be misconstrued as an objection.

Daniel smiled and said, "Then, we will move on to the signing."

The minister walked farther onto the altar to a small table centered in the middle the stage. He gestured for Adam and Teela to join him. When they did, they each got on a different side of the table. Then, Daniel looked at the audience and asked, "Would the two witnesses please join us?"

Orko floated over in a matter of seconds while Ileena crossed the stage carefully. Orko floated beside Adam as Ileena stood beside Teela. The minister picked up a feather pen from the center of the table, dunked it into a small vial of ink, and handed it to Adam. "Please sign the first line."

Adam didn't hesitate. He signed his name quickly and fought the impulse to push the pen into everyone's hands to hurry the process along. Now that they were so close to being declared husband and wife, he felt an overwhelming sense of urgency. Instead, he breathed in and out to calm himself and waited for the minister's instructions.

"Now, hand the pen to Orko."

Adam watched as Orko dunked the pen carefully into the ink once more and then floated over the paper to sign his name carefully. He couldn't help but smile at the Trollan's actions. Orko was being so careful. He even held his freehand under the pen to make sure no ink dropped onto the certificate. Adam wanted to reach out and hug the little guy for recognizing how important this was to Teela and him. Orko signed his signature and then handed the pen back to the minister.

Daniel then turned to the ladies. Like he had done before, he dunked the pen into the ink before handing it to Teela. "Please sign on the first line on the other side of Prince Adam's." Teela did as requested and without waiting for instructions from the minister speedily handed the pen to Ileena.

Adam couldn't control his response: he laughed a little and grinned brightly at her. She shrugged as Daniel laughed, as well.

"You might as well go ahead and sign, Ileena," Daniel instructed.

Once she did, she handed the pen back to Daniel. He dunked the pen in one last time and then signed the document himself and dated it. He then reached for Adam and Teela's hands and placed them together for the last time in the ceremony. "In front of these witnesses and the Ancients above, I now lawfully declare you, Prince Adam of Eternia and Lady Teela of Eternos, husband and wife."

At that precise moment, Orko started clapping loudly as Cringer ran onto the altar to stand beside his master. Adam couldn't stop the tears from slipping down his cheeks now. He couldn't believe it! They had done it without a single snag at all!

Daniel leaned over and whispered, "This is where you kiss your wife, Your Highness."

And, there it was. That word: _wife_.

It felt so strange, so foreign…and yet, so right. Teela was his wife now. _His_. No one could take that away from them now. No one. Not even his father. He wasn't the first prince to elope in Eternia's history, and that act had never been undone. It would have been much more of a hassle to undo them since the marriages had typically already been consummated by the time the kings at those times had found out. It would have looked bad for all involved, including the reigning families so the marriages had to be accepted. And, the same would happen here. He knew his parents liked Teela, so he knew they would accept her. It would just take a little while for them to accept their actions, but he knew it would happen.

He grinned happily, stepped around the table and took Teela into his arms. He stared deeply into her eyes and whispered, "Wife."

She chuckled a little and replied, "Husband."

He leaned down and their lips met in a scorching kiss that heated up their entire bodies. Now that they were husband and wife, they both knew that everything that had stopped them from expressing how they felt fully was now obliterated and they could hardly hold themselves back.

When they parted, Adam kissed her nose lightly and Teela laughed again. He tightened his hold on her and then looked at Ileena. "Did you do as I asked?"

She nodded. She produced a key and slipped it into his hand. "I'll go there straight away and wait at the back door. Just knock twice and I'll let you inside." He nodded and she hurriedly walked away after congratulating them.

Teela raised her eyebrows at him and questioned, "What was that about?"

He moved to her side and led her away from Daniel and the others. He answered softly, "I didn't want to risk going back to the palace tonight, so Ileena rented us a hotel room in her name. Our marriage can still be annulled at this point by the king. We still have to…you know, consummate it to make it even more legal." He looked down at the ground and added, "Not that I'm saying we have to do anything tonight. We don't have to! I just want us to be away from everyone until everything is settled."

Teela raised her hand to Adam's cheek. He immediately looked at her and she smiled. She leaned up on her toes and kissed him again softly. He grinned and asked, "Are you ready to go?" When she nodded, he turned to Daniel and said, "Thank you so much for doing this. I am forever in your debt." Daniel nodded, but before he could say anything the prince then turned to Orko and Cringer. "And, thank you for coming. Teela and I are happy that at least some of our friends could attend and it wouldn't have been the same without you."

"Ah, shucks, you're welcome, Adam!" Orko exclaimed as he threw his arms around the prince's neck and then Teela's.

Adam then knelt down so he could look at Cringer at eyelevel. He scratched behind his pet's ears and said, "Thank you especially, Cringer." He looked up at Orko to make sure he was paying more attention to Teela than him. He then whispered, "You know you would have been my witness if you had been able to write and were an actual recorded member of the Eternian society, right?"

"I know that, Adam," the tiger answered without hesitation. "Don't worry about it."

The prince grinned at his best friend and continued, "Teela and I will be home soon enough. Make sure you and Orko don't reveal anything. I want to be the one to tell our parents the news. Okay?"

Cringer nodded and replied, "I wouldn't tell the king. He's going to be angry and I'd rather not be in the room when that happens!" He shook a little and Adam laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind when I choose to tell him." He then reached over and hugged the tiger's neck. "I'll see you soon. Both of you."

He stood up and then took Teela's hand in his. Without any more discussion or delays, they walked to the back of the worship center and left out of the rear door. Neither wanted to be seen or followed, so they traveled the back roads to the hotel where Adam had told Ileena to register.

=)=)=)

Adam and Teela followed Ileena into their hotel suite. Inside, they were pleasantly surprised to find a kitchen, a living room, and a large master bedroom.

Ileena grinned at her friends and exclaimed happily, "I wanted to make sure you two had the option to stay for a while if you wanted to! I wouldn't be in a rush to return to the palace! I'd enjoy being away with one another for as long as possible!"

Both Teela and Adam blushed at her words. They were grateful and happy about her actions, but their thoughts immediately turned to ideas of what they could and would be doing during their time away. "Thank you so much, Ileena," Adam said gratefully, pushing his slight discomfiture aside; "I couldn't have done any of this without you."

"Oh, I'm sure you would have found a way. Teela's worth it." She winked at him.

"That she is," he agreed.

Teela walked to her friend and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for coming and helping us make this day possible. This all looks so amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," she said as she returned the hug. She then leaned her lips against Teela's ear and whispered just loudly enough for Adam to hear. "There's something in the bathroom for you to wear tonight, so make sure you go in there before Adam does." She pulled back and then winked at her.

Teela blushed scarlet red and Ileena laughed loudly. "Let me get out of here, so you two can enjoy the rest of your wedding day. I expect to hear from both of you very soon to tell me how married life is treating you."

"You will," they both replied simultaneously.

Ileena walked out after a joyful goodbye and then shut the door firmly. Now that they were left alone, the newlyweds had no idea what to do now. They didn't have any luggage to unpack. They didn't have the luxury of going outside right now, because people would notice them. All they could do was stay inside with one another…

Adam knew what their next step should be to make sure their marriage stayed intact, but he didn't want to push Teela. Despite the fact that she had always been aggressive about making love, he knew it was different now that they had no barriers in the way. Teela and he now knew without any doubt that if they both wanted it to happen, it would.

He glanced at his bride and saw that she was still blushing. She had turned away from him and was busy looking out the windows before stepping out onto the balcony. Fortunately, they were up high enough that no one would notice them from the streets far below. He went out there to join her. She stood at the railing, so he quickly walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her. His actions were so reminiscent of the first night they had expressed their feelings for one another verbally…and physically. They had stood on the palace balcony and he had held her just like this.

Adam closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to that occasion. He had held her so tenderly that first night and had used his hands to bring her comfort. She had been in pain, so he had used one hand to massage her lower abdomen while the other had simply explored her torso without going too far. Presently, he heard a soft gasp and Adam snapped out of his reverie to realize that he was doing the same now.

He turned his head slightly and kissed Teela's neck softly. She moaned and he wanted nothing more than to take her clothes off and make love to her right then and there. Now that she was his wife, he found himself wanting her so much more than he had before. He hadn't thought it possible; regardless, he was determined to control himself. He breathed deeply and whispered, "This sure is a beautiful afternoon." He was trying to get his mind off of their future actions.

She nodded as she replied, "Yes, it is. Today is absolutely perfect in every way."

He grinned. "I'm glad you think so. Do you want to stay out here, talk, and watch the sunset for a while?"

She turned in his arms slowly. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly and whispered, "Adam, it's our wedding night."

He nodded and responded just as softly, "I know, but that doesn't mean we have a set schedule or…things that we absolutely have to do right away."

She furrowed her brow. "Actually, it kind of does."

He placed a hand on her cheek and said, "No, it doesn't. Teela, we don't have to rush anything. I know that we've gotten married quickly, but if you want to take some time to adjust to being a wife and taking that next step, that's completely fine. Ileena is right—we don't have to rush back to the palace. You can take all the time you need."

Teela bit her lip. "I'll admit I'm nervous, Adam. Being married and knowing that _this_ is to be our next step is a little intimidating. Taking this step always has been…but I want this. I want you. We've been waiting long enough." She broke their embrace and took him by the hand. She led him into the master bedroom and then stumbled over her next words. "I'm…going t-to step into the bathroom to….freshen up."

Already knowing the true reason why she wanted to go in there, Adam gave a soft nod and replied, "Okay, and I'll wait for you here." They both smiled at one another and as soon as Teela shut the bathroom door, his grin faded.

=)=)=)

Adam looked around the bedroom having no idea what he should do. For some reason, he felt almost in a near state of panic. Should he turn down the sheets? Should he run to the kitchen to see what kind of refreshments they had? Should he make himself look more appealing? Maybe he should take off his tunic and shirt? He could take off his boots.

Adam sat on the edge of the bed and did the latter hurriedly. Then, he was back on his feet. He looked around the room and then decided to turn off the overhead lights. Then, he turned on the few lamps that scattered the room. His actions gave the room a luminous glow that wasn't too bright. He had always heard from other guys that women liked that kind of environment in this situation. He then decided he would turn the sheets down. The room was kind of cool, so maybe they would be a little chilly when they were actually naked…

Of course, their actions would heat them up.

He blushed at the thought and turned down the sheets anyway.

He then looked over at the chronometer on the wall and wondered how long it would take Teela to get out there. He sat down on the edge of the bed again and took a deep breath.

" _Calm down, Adam_ ," he told himself. " _Stop being so nervous. This is your wife and she's just as new to this experience as you are_." His thoughts were meant to impart comfort to himself, but unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. At the reminder that this was Teela's first time, too, he began to wonder what would happen when they actually joined for the first time. Would he hurt her? He had heard that some women had an absolutely dreadful time the first time they came together with a man. He hoped Teela would be one that would only experience a slight pain and then be able to enjoy herself…

Of course, she would only enjoy it if he was able to do things correctly. The only thing that calmed him a little was the reminder that he had already given Teela pleasure several times. He already knew some of those places that was sure to drive her crazy. He was determined to be mindful of her responses and focus solely on giving her pleasure again tonight. That would please him more than anything else, he knew.

It was at that moment that Adam heard the bathroom door creak open. He immediately stood and watched as Teela walked into the room. His heart jumped into his throat and pounded fiercely. He couldn't believe he was staring at his Teela—she looked so different than he had always imagined she would on their wedding night. In the past when he had dreamed of this moment, he had always pictured her in something sexy and yet innocent. They had been sleek nightgowns, similar to the one he had seen her in before. The colors had always been light: white or pink.

Teela looked anything but innocent right now. Aside from her blushing cheeks that belied the rest of the look, she looked downright sinister and he found his body growing rigid at the sight. She was dressed entirely in black. She was wearing some kind of two piece negligee that was tied together with strings and belts over her stomach. Her red hair, which tumbled down her neck and shoulders, complimented the outfit perfectly, giving her that dangerous and seductive look even more.

Swallowing his heart back down forcefully, he crossed the room. "Teela," he whispered as light as air. He placed his hands on her arms and rubbed them slowly. She looked up and smiled at him despite the darkness of her cheeks. He could tell she was worried about this outfit.

"Ileena picked this out and left it for me. I have no idea if you like this, but…"

To calm her nerves, he said immediately, "Oh, I like it. I never thought I'd see you in something like this, but…it's amazing." He leaned back a little and ran his eyes up and down her body suggestively. He wanted to show her his immediate interest. Unfortunately, his actions caused her blush to deepen even more and she looked back down.

Holding back a sigh that threatened to escape his lips, he carefully pulled his wife to him and hugged her tightly to calm her. He was grateful that he was still in his fur pants and tights, so she couldn't feel what this moment and her look were doing to him well. He wanted her so much at that moment that he was almost in pain, but he wouldn't rush this if she was now feeling a little intimidated.

"You look beautiful," he told her softly as he felt her wrap her arms around him.

"Thank you," she mumbled. They stayed that way for several minutes, simply holding one another. Adam eventually rubbed his hands up and down her back.

When he finally pulled away slightly, he met her eyes and whispered, "We don't have to do anything if you've changed your mind. I know this is a scary moment for the both of us, and I want it to be right, so if you have any doubts…"

Teela immediately responded by taking him by the hand and leading him to the bed silently. Once she stood beside it, she wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled his lips to hers. They kissed each other softly at first, but Teela soon opened her mouth and encouraged Adam to open his with her tongue. Soon both were dueling it out until they had to pull back for air.

"Adam," she whispered, "I want you so much."

"You have me," he replied with a soft smile. "I'm yours. I'm your husband now, remember?"

He smiled with pleasure as her eyes darkened. "Yes, you are," she agreed. "Just like I'm yours: heart, soul…and _body_." With the last word, Teela sat down on the bed and scooted across it. She patted the spot next to her and he immediately followed her. Facing one another, they each stared into the other's eyes. They knew the big moment had arrived. In order to ensure that their marriage would stay intact once everyone found out, they would have to consummate the marriage before they returned to the palace.

He reached out and cupped his wife's cheek softly. "Are you sure you're ready?" he asked.

With a soft nod, she questioned, "Are you?" When he nodded, she scooted her body closer to his and brushed her lips against his lightly.

 


	39. Love at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler and warning: Okay, so you probably already knew, but I'm going to go ahead and give the warning anyway! This chapter is very heated! So, people under 17 or people who don't like that kind of thing, please don't read it. You won't miss much aside from some Adam/Teela moments. Any plot developments will be readdressed in the next chapter so you won't miss out on much.
> 
> Also, I'll go ahead and admit—believe it or not—that I'm not much of a "smut" writer, but I tried my best. Hopefully, you'll think it's halfway decent, especially since I tried not to get too explicit, but I did get extremely close here and there several times, hahaha. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Teela's Visitor Chapter 39

The light touch of her lips, so much like any other night, had the power at that moment to either freeze him entirely or to open up an inferno that just wouldn't be extinguished. He was torn by his options. Every muscle, every piece of skin, every fiber of his body wanted to handle this situation as any guy would and make passionate and deep love to his wife, but his brain was ever mindful of the fact that there were a million ways in which this could go so horribly wrong. It made him nervous, more nervous than he had ever been facing Skeletor.

Most of his anxiety came from his desire to please her, as well as the fact that this was their first time, hers especially. He wanted and needed to be gentle with her—he knew that—but his body had other ideas. The lower portion of his anatomy was already arching towards her roughly without any conscious thought on his part as she leaned towards him to give him yet another addictive, drug-like kiss. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he tried to stop himself, but unfortunately Teela made his efforts pointless.

As their lips met for a second time, she placed her body firmly against his and rocked gently. The way her hips were moving was almost as if she were already trying to drive him into her, but unfortunately they were still completely dressed.

"Teela, Teela," he called aloud from his passion-and-hazed-filled mind. He needed to gain some control here or he would be lost.

When she pulled her lips from his and stared into his eyes, he whispered, "We need to slow this down. I'm…" He didn't want to admit that he was already too excited and rock hard. So, instead of saying those words, he said another truth: "I want this to last. I want it to be special."

She smiled and leaned over again to kiss his lips gently. "I already told you that just being with you makes this special," she whispered.

And, she had said that before, but he couldn't and wouldn't accept it. Teela came first in his mind, and despite what she said, he knew she would regret it in more ways than one if he gave in to his primal urges. "That's what I want," he growled wantonly as she rubbed herself against him again through their clothing.

Teela seemed to thrill at the sudden change of his voice, because she immediately grinned at him seductively. "Then, that is what you will have," she relented.

He smiled and gave a small nod as he stared into her eyes again. It was at that moment that he noticed Teela had ceased her movements and was letting him take charge completely. That, in and of itself, almost broke his earlier resolve. He knew it was hard for Teela to let go of the reins in any situation, but she had just done so easily for him. It showed him that she trusted him, and this trust was different and more meaningful than the trust she showed He-Man on the battlefield. This trust was more personal, more intimate, and it made him feel like the luckiest man alive…and truly, he was. Ancients, he wanted her!

Slowly, Adam pushed his wife onto her back and hovered over her torso as he raked his lustful eyes down her body again. He reached out a shaky hand and placed it lightly on her hip. Almost immediately, Teela gasped and jumped a little. He laughed as he gazed up at her face afterward and saw her smiling coyly. The expression soon changed, though, as his hand traveled up her negligee and the hemline rose slightly up her thigh as he dragged his palm against her. When he reached her waist, he changed tactics by softly running his fingernails over the thin fabric at her side.

Teela's response was a slight moan and a roll of her hips when he reached the side of her left breast. "Adam," she whispered as his eyes followed his hand's progress, "just how slowly are you planning on going?"

His gaze met hers and he could see from her reddened skin and her almost pleading expression that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. "As slowly as we both can stand," he answered honestly. He looked down her body again and added huskily, "I want you to burn for me like I do for you."

She moaned loudly at his provocative statement. "Oh, I do," she insisted; "I really do."

He didn't respond verbally. Instead, he kissed her once more and licked her bottom lip thoroughly. When she opened her mouth to allow him entrance, he teased her by pulling away. Her head quickly followed and he laughed when she nearly caught his lips. He then grinned wickedly as a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, Teela, do you remember when I allowed you to take charge completely and you forbade me to move?"

Her eyes widened significantly—she knew where this was going.

He bent over her body and placed his lips beside her ear. "It's payback time," he whispered softly. He pulled away and ran a single finger down her cheek and then her neck. "Don't move until I say so, Captain. That's an order from your husband and your prince."

"ADAM!" she whined.

He simply held a finger up and moved it from side to side. She pursed her lips obstinately, but he knew she wouldn't stay that way for long.

Slowly, oh, so slowly, he placed his lips on her chin and kissed down her throat. When he reached her collarbone, he brought his hands up to her shoulders and began to gently push down the straps of her outfit. He then paused when the clothing fell to the top of her breasts. He looked at her face for a moment to see if there were any objections, but all he could see were her closed eyes and parted lips, so he continued. He pulled the garment down to her waist and feasted his eyes upon her breasts. This wasn't the first time he had seen them bare, but each time felt like it was. He was still so amazed that she loved him and that she would allow him to see her like this.

"Adam!" he heard her cry out. It was so different from the earlier whine. Now, she was looking up at him lustfully and arching her chest towards him. "Please, Adam."

Closing his eyes, he swallowed roughly. This was a scene that had played out in many of his fantasies. He had always liked the idea of Teela begging him for his touch, and reality was so much better. To drag the moment out, he asked, "Yes, Teela? Is there something bothering you?"

He almost laughed at her frustrated growl. "Please, Adam, I need you to…" She began to squirm on the bed and he did laugh then.

"You need me to what?"

She groaned and stated sharply, "I need _you_." Despite his order for her not to move, she lifted a hand and raised it to his cheek. "I want you." Her hand then trailed down his neck and drifted to his right pectoral. Slowly, she circled his nipple with her fingernails several times through his shirt. "Please, Adam."

Taking a deep and calming breath, Adam lifted his hand to hers and removed it. "No touching," he said forcefully and flashed her the most commanding look he could. He didn't think he managed it too well because he had thoroughly enjoyed her actions, but she laid her hands by her sides, so it must have been good enough.

Deciding to give Teela what she wanted, he placed his hand on her waist just above the area where her negligee had gathered. He rubbed his hand there playfully for a little bit and continued to watch her squirm. Then finally, he raked his hand up her body and in a matter of seconds, he cupped her right breast, lifted it, and massaged it gently.

He noticed at that moment that Teela's breathing had picked up and she had closed her eyes. "Adam," he heard her mumble. Smiling, he raised his thumb to her nipple and rubbed the sensitive skin back and forth lightly several times. He watched as a chill ran through her body—he saw her shiver with a moan.

Grinning, he questioned, "Did you like that, Teela?" Getting more and more comfortable as he moved on, Adam decided to take his play to the next level. He bent over her left breast and blew on her exposed nipple softly.

Her eyes quickly flew open. "Oh!" she gasped as she gazed down at him. Once more, she raised her chest to him and Adam complied with her wishes. With their eyes still locked on to one another's, she watched as her husband took her into his mouth like a hungry baby.

"A—Adam!" she cried. Then, she moaned loudly and brought her hands up to weave through his hair as she held him to her breast. He circled her nipple countless times and jabbed the tip with his tongue every so often. He could feel the shivers running through her body, and her restless legs told him she was probably throbbing right where he wanted her to. After he had gone back and forth between both breasts several times with his mouth, he decided to move on.

Pulling back slowly, he placed both of his hands at her waist. When he was sure he had her full attention, he whispered, "Are you sure you're ready?"

When she nodded confidently, he nodded as well and said, "Okay."

Gently, Adam hooked his fingers in his wife's negligee and pulled the article of clothing down her waist, over her hips, and off her legs. After he threw the apparel across the room, his eyes caught hers again and he waited. He didn't allow himself to stare at the newly exposed areas until she gave him permission.

She must have sensed this because she placed a hand on his cheek and nodded lightly.

Gradually, he ran his eyes down the length of her body. When he finally got to the small red triangle between her legs, he moaned. "Teela, you are so beautiful," he whispered. He met her eyes again and noticed she had tears in them. "What is it?" he asked, suddenly alarmed.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just that I can't believe it's about to happen," she admitted. "Finally."

He grinned and replied, "Neither can I, but first…" He placed his hand on her knee and slipped it underneath. He teased the skin there lightly and then drew his fingers up her thigh.

Surprisingly, Teela immediately scooted up in bed and rested her back against the pillows and headboard. She parted her legs a little to give him easier access. When he finally got to the area where her leg and pelvis met, he asked, "Is this okay? There's no clothes blocking me this time, so I know this is…new."

She responded by nodding and rolling her hips a little to let his hand drift slightly to the area where she really wanted him to go. "Touch me," she whispered. Her actions and words made him twitch between his legs, so he gently cupped her right away and then moved his hand against her. She cried out louder than before. Like he had promised himself, he watched her face to figure out what she did and did not like. The way she was biting her bottom lip made it difficult to know, so he decided to cheat a little. He hoped she wouldn't mind. He concentrated and entered her mind.

" _Just a little to the right. Yes, oh yes, right there…oh Ancients!_ "

Smiling that he had gotten the information he needed right away, he pulled himself out of her thoughts and continued to move his hand over the area she liked. Soon, Teela was moaning loudly and moving her hips right along with his hand. "Adam!" she soon cried several times before her back suddenly arched and she shook violently. He continued with his actions and slowed as her actions slowed.

Gradually, she stopped moving and breathed deeply. "Oh, wow," she said lazily.

He chuckled a little and replied, "Yeah, wow." He laid beside her and propped his head up with his elbow. "I take it you enjoyed that."

A blush suddenly covered her face brightly.

He brushed the side of her cheek with his index finger and whispered, "Don't be embarrassed, Teela. I enjoyed it immensely, and it was beautiful to watch you responding to me like that." He genuinely meant that. This sexual encounter was so much more sensual and erotic than all the others they had shared. He knew it was probably because they both knew where this would end up and the fact that they were married now and belonged to one another.

She smiled a little while looking down at the bedspread after hearing his words. She whispered softly, "Yes, well, I know something that you'll enjoy even more." Before giving him any time to reply or question what that might be, she sat up and began pulling on his tunic. "Let's get you out of these clothes!"

Adam grinned and assisted in removing every article of his clothing. Teela had already seen him naked before a couple of times, but she seemed obsessed to see him now. His clothes flew around the room until he was finally as naked as she was.

Like the last time she had seen him in this state, she stared at that one place where he was physically showing his want of her. He was harder now than he ever remembered being before. She gripped him between his legs and gave it a gentle squeeze. Immediately, he hissed, fell back onto the bed, and closed his eyes. She pumped him a couple of times to elicit a few moans from him before laying down on her back and reaching for him.

"Adam," she called out, grabbing his attention, "I'm ready."

He opened his eyes and saw her lying there beside him. Panic rose within him but he pushed the emotion back down. He wanted this. And, he would be careful. He was determined not to hurt her. To be sure of how she felt, he reached out with his hand to grab hers. Once their fingers intertwined, he asked, "Are you sure? We don't have to go any further than we have right now."

Teela stared deeply into his eyes and answered, "Adam, I want you _now_."

Sitting up, he turned towards her and then hovered his entire body over hers unhesitatingly. Using his hips, he wiggled his way between her thighs to give himself enough room. He stared into her eyes and just as he placed his hands on her hips, he suddenly pulled back as a thought occurred to him.

"Adam?" she questioned worriedly.

He looked at her regretfully and said, "Teela, I just realized we…we don't have any protection." At her astonished expression, he explained, "I know we both want A.J. eventually, but we got married in a hurry to stop Janice and Durriken. We've accomplished that. Do you…want to risk getting pregnant right now?"

They stared at each other for a couple of moments until eventually Teela answered, "We have to consummate our marriage, Adam. We can't leave this room until we do, so that pretty much settles things…" When Adam started to say something, she quickly brought a finger to his lips to silence him. "If I get pregnant," she continued, "I won't regret it. I love you and I love A.J. already. I wouldn't mind seeing him sooner rather than later, so if it happens, it happens." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down so that their foreheads were touching. "Make love to me, Adam."

He moaned at her demand before replying, "As you wish, wife." He repositioned himself between her legs and gripped her hips tenderly. "I love you, Teela," he whispered softly, watching her intently.

"And, I love you, Adam," she replied.

As gently as he could, he entered her. Each let out a satisfying cry at the initial union. Because he was moving so slowly, Adam knew the exact moment when his next movement forward would cause her pain. He prayed to the Ancients that it wouldn't be much. He stared into her eyes and she cupped his cheek tenderly. "I'm okay and it'll be okay. Just do it."

Recognizing the enormity of her request and wanting to soothe her, he waited a little before he actually moved forward. He maintained eye contact with her and then at a slightly faster pace because he didn't want the pain to stretch itself out over a long period of time, he entered her completely. He heard her gasp out in pain and he stared at her face anxiously. When she didn't look at him right away and continued to squeeze her eyes shut, he questioned worriedly, "Teela, are you all right? Talk to me."

She opened her eyes several seconds later and nodded. "Yes, I'm okay."

He didn't know whether he should believe her or not. She was looking at him now and she did seem to be telling the truth, but he could also see in her eyes that there was still some pain that she was experiencing. "Are you sure? Because we can stop this right now!" he cried in concern.

"No, no, I want to keep going!" she insisted. "I'm ready now—I want you. Move a little." She then began to rock gently, so he took her words at face value.

Very slowly, Adam obeyed and after the first several thrusts, Teela moaned loudly, relaxed, and commanded, "Keep going."

He sighed gratefully and with a smile, he replied, "Yes, ma'am." Then, he then kissed her deeply and sped up their movements. Teela met his every action and seemed to enjoy herself just as much as he was.

When it was all finally over and they had both succumbed to the pleasure that had been building within their bodies, Adam lay on his back as Teela curled to his side.

Brushing her fingers over his bare chest, she mumbled tiredly, "That was so amazing, Adam."

"Yes, it was," he agreed lazily as he rubbed a hand up and down her back.

"And, no one—not even the king—can separate us now," she commented.

"No, they can't."

She turned her head slightly and kissed the skin before her. "Do you think this is when A.J. is conceived?"

He looked down at her face, but before he could answer, her breathing slowed and he knew she had fallen asleep. He leaned over and kissed her forehead happily.

 


	40. What the a Future Holds

Teela's Visitor Chapter 40

Adam held Teela in his arms as she slept. He couldn't believe it—it was almost like a dream. They were actually married. They were husband and wife, and like she had said earlier, not even his father could undo it now... Well, he probably could if he absolutely really wanted to. He was the king, after all. But despite the disappointment and anger his father was likely to have when he found out, he knew the king would not want to hurt him in such an extreme way—he knew what Teela meant to him.

He actually hoped his father would understand. King Randor had told him himself that he would have eloped with his mother if she had gotten pregnant when they had made love for the first time so the people wouldn't stop them. Yes, Teela and he had different circumstances, but they had their reasons. He couldn't tell his father the complete truth, but he would tell him enough so he would understand their urgency. He hoped it would be enough.

Dismissing his thoughts, he let his eyes and mind drift back to Teela. He didn't want to think of anything that could be potentially unpleasant until he absolutely had to. He smiled as he watched her move slightly against him and snuggle even closer. He tightened his arm around her and thought about their earlier activities.

Making love with Teela went far beyond his expectations. While they both had been undoubtedly nervous and insecure in their actions, he knew they had enjoyed themselves and found fulfillment. That was all that really could be expected for two people who were making love for the first time ever. It could have turned out a lot worse. In fact, it had been highly probable that it would. He had heard stories from other guys, saying that their first time had been perfect and mind-blowing. He had known then and now that most of them were probably lying, especially since their encounters happened when they were a lot younger than he and Teela were now. He grinned when he realized that their age might have contributed to why it was so enjoyable. They hadn't gone after each other like two rampaging hormonal teenagers. He had his wits about him to think about Teela and her wellbeing even when she drove him crazy. He actually prided himself on that fact. And, that's the way he would continue to handle their encounters…

His thoughts then drifted to the question that Teela had asked after they had made love: did he believe that A.J. was conceived at that time?

He honestly didn't know and he didn't know which to hope for either. He was actually torn on the issue. Part of him hoped so for quite a few different reasons. First of all, like he had told Teela, he already loved the little guy. When he had first seen him in his vision and realized just who he was, his heart had felt like it would burst. Despite the fact that he was a guy and it was generally believed that mainly women had such thoughts, he had always wanted to be a parent and have a son, not that a daughter wouldn't be just as nice. He figured it went back to his being raised a prince. He did have to think of the future of the kingdom and it was instilled in him at an early age that he was expected to get married and produce an heir. Those facts didn't diminish the desire at all, though. If that were his only motivation, he could have married just about anyone to get that job done. There were plenty of candidates, aside from Teela and Janice who would have been willing. He simply didn't want to have a son with just anyone. He had always wanted it to be with Teela. So, naturally, now that they're married, he would like to fulfill that dream.

Also, there was a childish and completely egocentric thought floating around in his mind that embarrassed him…and he would never mutter it aloud  _ever_. BUT, if somehow someone told him that Teela was indeed pregnant after that first encounter, a small part of himself—just a small part—would have said, "Atta boy, Adam!" He knew the response would be completely inappropriate and showcase nothing but his male pride and what some would call a considerably large ego. He just couldn't help it, though. He shook his head at himself, feeling completely ashamed that he could be so crass. He knew conceiving a child had absolutely nothing to do with his manhood, in that sense—he knew the science involved, and yet, he was having the thoughts anyway.

Then, there was the other part of himself to consider. That part hoped she wasn't pregnant, so he could spend some time alone with Teela, just the two of them. Marriage was hard work; he knew that. To throw a baby into the mix nine months later after they were married, that would be tough. It would no longer be just the two of them. A.J. would become the center of attention. They would be parents and A.J.'s wants and needs would come first. They wouldn't be able to jump up and…go on vacation, for example, whenever the whim hit them. He knew that might be a little selfish, but he also knew it was sensible. No one could blame him for wanting to have his wife to himself for a little while before having children.

Which side was pulling him more? He didn't know. He figured he'd be extremely happy if she were pregnant and okay if she weren't. There was nothing wrong with either response in his book.

Suddenly, he wondered if she were pregnant now, would that change the future or would it be fulfilling it? Did their recent actions take them away or move them closer to that future with Morgoth? He realized either was possible…

And, that made him think about the Sorceress. He realized with a start that it was odd that she had been silent throughout all of this. Undoubtedly, she was still watching his future and yet, he hadn't felt her enter his mind at all recently. Now that he thought about it, though, he couldn't believe that she didn't know about their actions. He had half the mind to call out to her to find out, but he stopped himself. If she really didn't know, he didn't want to bring it to her attention just yet. He wanted to enjoy this peaceful time he had with Teela for a little while longer.

He stared down at his wife once more and whispered, "I love you." She must have heard him because she smiled despite being fast asleep. He scooted farther down in bed, turned onto his side, and wrapped her in his arms more thoroughly. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to go to sleep and forget about all of his worries.

=)=)=)

The next morning, he woke up and was surprised to find that he was alone in bed. He lifted his head and saw that Teela was nowhere in sight. Quickly, he got up, grabbed his tights off the floor and slipped them on. He went into the bathroom first and when he saw she wasn't there, he stepped into the living room. That's when he saw her out on the terrace, looking out over Eternos. The Royal Palace was in the distance and that seemed to be where she was looking.

Quietly, he stepped outside and noticed she had her hands placed on her lower abdomen. He wrinkled his brow with worry and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She jumped and exclaimed, "Adam!"

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you." He kissed her cheek and placed his hands over hers. He frowned and looked down at his actions over her shoulder. "Are you in pain?" He then worked his fingers under hers and started massaging her lower torso. He knew she was likely sore after last night's activities, but he hoped it wasn't too bad.

She slowly turned in his arms, looked into his eyes, and whispered, "It's not too bad. It feels like I've given muscles that I haven't used before a workout." She laughed when he raised his eyebrows with a smile. "I know!" she exclaimed. "I suppose I did!" She chuckled a few more times and looked down. She slipped her arms around him. "I'm not hurting where you rubbed, though. It's more…within."

"Oh," he mumbled, "I just assumed when I saw you…"

She looked up quickly and then back down. That's when he saw her intense blush.

"Teela?"

She looked up at him again and then off to the side. "I was…thinking about A.J."

That explained it: she had her hands over her abdomen, because she was wondering if A.J. was there. He smiled and asked softly, "Do you want to be pregnant now?"

She met his gaze and held it for several moments. "Do you want me to be?"

He lifted a hand up and thumped her nose lightly. When she looked up almost indignantly, he said with a smile, "I asked first."

"But I want to know your opinion first," she insisted.

He pulled her to him tightly and replied, "But I want you to tell me first, so I'll know my opinion hasn't swayed yours. I want to know how you feel on the subject without any influences." He grinned before leaning down to kiss her lightly. When he pulled back, he whispered, "I think I already know, though, by your words and actions this morning, so you might as well confirm."

She closed her eyes for a brief second before looking at him and admitting, "I wouldn't mind if I were."

He knew that was probably going to be as close as he was going to get to the real answer without listening to her thoughts. "I wouldn't mind, either," he replied. He lifted a hand to her cheek and held it, so they could stare into each other's eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responded. Their lips met in a heated kiss that took their breath away. When they pulled apart, each breathed roughly, trying to gain control of themselves.

When he finally gathered enough air to speak, he placed his forehead on hers and asked, "When do you want to go back to the palace?"

She shrugged. "I don't care. As long as I'm with you, I'm content where I am for now."

He grinned and placed his lips on hers again. Just as they were about to deepen their kiss, Adam froze as he heard a familiar voice in his head.

" _Adam, I need you immediately at Castle Grayskull. You may bring Teela along if you wish."_

He pulled away from their kiss and Teela searched his eyes questioningly. " _Is it Skeletor?_ " he asked the Sorceress silently.

" _No, just come and I'll explain everything_."

He felt the Sorceress' presence leave, so he focused his eyes back on his wife. "It was the Sorceress, wasn't it?" she asked.

He nodded. "She wants to see me at Castle Grayskull." At her grimace, he continued, "She said I could bring you along." That seemed to pacify her. She immediately grabbed him by the hand and asked, "Do we have time to stop by the palace and change our clothes?"

He glanced back at the palace and nodded. "Yes, we need to grab a Windraider or an AttakTrak anyway, but let's try to stay clear of everyone."

=)=)=)

Steathily, Adam and Teela walked down the corridors of the palace carrying a few bags that contained Teela's dress, her shoes, their marriage certificate, and her negligee. Adam knew if anyone stopped them right now and looked at what they had, there would be no denying what they had done. Since he had to go to Castle Grayskull, he didn't believe this was the right time to tell anyone about their wedding, just yet.

Luckily, they made it all the way to their bedrooms without any incident. Adam stood with Teela outside her chambers and stared at her as she opened her door to set the bags inside. When she turned back to look at him once she put everything down, he rubbed her arm and whispered, "I don't want to leave you for even a second. It's too soon to part into separate bedrooms after yesterday."

She grinned. "You could always grab your clothes and come shower with me."

The thought appealed to him greatly, but as usual common sense won. "I would love nothing more, but I doubt we'd get to Castle Grayskull any time soon, and I think the Sorceress wanted to see us right away."

She sighed and asked, "Do you have any idea what that is about anyway? Do you think she knows about  _us_?"

He decided to answer honestly. "Probably, but whether that has to do with why she wants to see me, I have no idea."

"Well, I suppose the quicker we get cleaned up and ready, the quicker we'll find out." He nodded.

Teela stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him to her. Their lips met unhesitatingly and moved slowly against one another for several long moments. When Teela finally pulled away, she whispered, "I can't wait to see you again, my husband."

He grinned and mumbled back, "I can't wait to see you again, my wife…but I really can't wait until we share our chambers so we won't have to part at all."

She laughed with a bright smile and replied aloud, "Neither can I." Abruptly, she pulled away and waved at him. They both knew if one of them didn't simply walk away, they would never get to Castle Grayskull. Adam decided to do his part, as well, by turning around to walk inside his bedchambers, but both of them stuck their heads back out of their rooms simultaneously to look at each other one last time before they parted. They grinned before going inside and closing their doors.

=)=)=)

Standing before Castle Grayskull, Teela shivered. Adam slipped an arm around her waist and asked, "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Sorry. I just keep thinking about the last time we were here together. You were unconscious for most of it after slipping into Skeletor's mind."

Adam cringed when he thought about that, as well. He had thought he was over what had happened until Teela brought it up. Regardless, he pushed those images to the back of his mind again and stared up at the castle. He was about to take his sword out and command that the drawbridge open when it suddenly lowered itself.

He extended his hand to his wife and she took it. Quickly, they crossed the threshold and Adam led Teela to the throne room without any help from the castle or the Sorceress.

When they walked into the room, their eyes immediately looked up at the throne and were surprised to see that the Sorceress was not there. Adam scanned the room and saw she was in front of her mirror which shimmered brightly.

"Sorceress?" he questioned, pulling Teela along with him as he approached.

The Sorceress turned abruptly and said, "Thank you for coming so quickly, Prince Adam." She turned to her other guest and looked her up and down. Adam noticed her eyes lingered on her waist for a moment before meeting her eyes. "You, too, Teela. I know this was not an ideal time for me to call, but I found it necessary."

"It's okay," he replied cautiously. "What's wrong?"

She smiled lightly and replied, "Well, first of all before we get to that, let me be the first to congratulate you on your marriage."

The couple gasped despite Adam's suspicions that she already knew. "You know?" Teela squeaked. She then cleared her throat. "How did you find out?"

The Sorceress motioned towards the mirror. "I watched the proceedings. The castle let me know it was happening and it knew I would want to see it. I…care about the both of you."

"Thank you," Teela whispered, not knowing what else to say to that.

Adam merely raised his brow and questioned, "The castle or the Spirit of Grayskull?"

"Same thing, Adam," the Sorceress answered matter-of-factly.

He nodded and after looking around the castle, he asked, "And, has the castle shown you something that has made you call us here?"

"Indeed it has," she responded. "Or at least, something has. Watch." The Sorceress waved her hand over the mirror and a scene played out before them.

_Durriken approached the King of Morainia and bowed before him. "I have news, King Moraius."_

_The king stood and glanced over at his son and daughter who had just walked into the room. He frowned slightly, obviously at their presence, but continued to deal with the man before him. "What is it?"_

" _I have seen another vision."_

_Moraius looked at Janice. "Does it deal with my daughter?"_

" _In a way. It deals with Prince Adam. I'm afraid we are too late. Lady Teela and he got married secretly and they have already consummated their marriage."_

_Immediately, Princess Janice crossed the room and sat on the steps of her father's throne. "Then, it's over," she said softly with a few tears slipping down her face. "I've lost Adam. That future is gone." She wiped at her face and looked over at her brother who sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders._

" _Not necessarily," Durriken replied. He looked up at the king while the siblings sprang to their feet._

" _What do you mean?" both father and daughter questioned simultaneously. Afterward, Janice continued, "I can't break up their marriage. Adam chose to be with her, not me. I'll have to live with that. It's not like we really dated…"_

_Durriken looked at Moraius and replied, "I'm not saying we should break up their marriage, but what if I told you there were a way to undo all of this and start all over again?"_

_Janice widened her eyes as Moraius walked down the throne to stand beside his children. He grabbed Janice's hand and squeezed it. "I'd say I would love to hear how."_

" _We could turn back time," he announced. "We could set things right. Well, I could, anyway. You would be unaware that time rewound."_

" _You can rewind time?" the king questioned, surprised._

" _No," he answered. "But when I saw this vision, I did some research of old magic and wizards on Eternia and I've come across someone who can, someone who still lives. If we can reach him and convince him to help us, he could do this for us. He has the power to do it."_

" _And, who is this person?" Janice asked._

The image floated away and Teela cried out. "Why did you stop there?"

"That's all that I've seen," the Sorceress replied, "but I think it's obvious who Durriken is referring to."

"Morgoth," Adam answered without hesitation. "We have to stop them! They can't release Morgoth from the other dimension! How can they even be entertaining the thought? If Durriken researched Morgoth then he should know he can't be trusted! What is he thinking?"

The Sorceress frowned and said, "I believe he's thinking Morgoth will abide by restrictions if he takes an oath before being released. What I don't know is  _how_  Durriken releases Morgoth. He doesn't have that kind of power, either."

Teela placed her hands on her hips and cried, "Isn't Durriken an oracle? Isn't that what started all of this? Can't he look into the future and see that his stupid plan doesn't work and only makes things worse?"

The Sorceress turned to her and replied, "It doesn't work like that. Oracles only see glimpses of the future, and while we can direct it sometimes, it doesn't always work. Most of the time, it doesn't. I have more success than he does because of Castle Grayskull."

Teela turned to Adam abruptly and stated firmly, "We must go to Morainia immediately. We have to stop Durriken and reason with King Moraius!" She pounded her fist into her hand determinedly.

The Sorceress stepped beside them to grab their attention and announced, "I'm afraid you can't go, Teela."

This shocked both Adam and Teela. "And, why not?" she questioned, feeling confused and slightly angry. "I'm not about to let Adam go through this without me! Those people are trying to destroy our marriage! They'll end up ruining everything! They'll succeed in killing you and making me stay in this horrible place without my husband or my son! No one wants any of this to happen! We want you to live and for Adam and me to be happy with A.J. I don't ever want any of that to change. Things are good as they are now!" She shook her head as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. "Why would I be your replacement at any time, anyway, whether it is soon because of Morgoth or for some other reason sometime in the distant future?" She looked around the castle and announced loudly, "I do not want to become your guardian! Find someone else! Do you hear me, spirit?"

Adam and the Sorceress gasped. "Teela," Adam said placing a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think the castle has a list of choices and…" To get her off the subject, his brain scrambled for something to get her mind off of it. "…maybe the Sorceress is right. You shouldn't come with me. It's too dangerous." He knew she would get angry at his words, but he knew it would stop her current line of thought.

"Too dangerous?" she questioned, stepping away and pacing. "Adam, I'm still Captain of the Guard and you're my husband. I'm not about to let them threaten what we have without a fight."

The Sorceress placed a hand on Teela's shoulder to stop her movements. "I understand how you feel, Teela, but you can't go."

"And, why not?" she spat angrily. She knew she was now the Crown Prince's wife and that she should stay out of battle, but  _this_  wasn't a battle. This was trying to stop people from bringing someone who would cause a battle…so the Sorceress had better have a good reason for her to stay or it wouldn't happen. Period.

=)=)=)

_I know, another mean place to stop…but it's not that bad, is it? Any guesses for the reason? LOL Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. This chapter isn't as long as I had hoped, but I thought that was a good place to stop and I'm getting tired. Let me know what you think!_


	41. The Second Round

Teela's Visitor Chapter 41

Adam didn't need telepathy at that moment to know what was running through Teela's mind. At her sudden scowl, though, his mind jumped out and entered hers instinctively. He saw the anger and the insistence that the Sorceress better have a good reason for her to stay behind, but he also saw what was beneath all of that: fear. She was frightened that she was going to lose him, and it broke his heart.

Immediately, he pulled Teela into his arms and held her tightly. "I won't let anything happen to us," he comforted her. "I refuse to lose you. You are my life now and no one is going to take you away from me, I promise."

Teela pulled back and stared at him for a couple of moments before looking back at the Sorceress. She was a lot calmer now. She took a deep breath and said, "I know Adam believes what he's saying. I want to believe it, too, but I want to do everything possible to stop this, and let's face it, Adam and I—even when he's He-Man—are at our strongest when we're together."

"I cannot deny that," the Sorceress stated, "but you still can't go."

"Why not?" she cried, getting a little angry again. "Just because I'm his wife now doesn't mean I've suddenly turned into a helpless, airhead courtier who can't take care of herself! I can! And more than that, I can help!"

The Sorceress pursed her lips together for a moment and then said soothingly, "Teela, I know you can take care of yourself. I even know that in normal situations you would be a tremendous help." Teela opened her mouth to interrupt, but the Sorceress put her hand up to stop her. "This is not a normal situation, Teela. Let's reason this out. Durriken and Moraius want the future to be what it once was. They want Adam to marry Janice. Who stands in their way? You. If you go, you're presenting yourself to them on a silver platter."

Adam gasped. "Teela…" he began.

She shook her head and interrupted him. "Adam, you know King Moraius. You know at heart, he's a good man. He would never attack me! He would never kidnap me, and he's not stupid! He would know you would never marry his daughter if they did something to me. That wouldn't exactly encourage loving feelings between the two of you."

"You're right," the Sorceress replied, "but we're not dealing with only King Moraius. We're also dealing with Durriken. I haven't figured out his true motivations, yet. His zeal seems to be a little strong for a situation that doesn't directly involve him. He's not really from Morainia, so why is he so concerned about that kingdom? Also, there is Prince Esker to worry about."

"Prince Esker?" Adam questioned. "He seemed to be a nice enough kid when we first met."

"He's not a kid anymore, Adam. Just like Janice isn't. And, let's just say that Prince Esker does not have a whole lot to lose. He's going to fight for Morainia and his sister. That's the only thing he can do now."

When Teela and Adam raised their brows questioningly, she sighed. "I do not like revealing the future of other people without their knowledge, but I feel that I must. Prince Esker is dying."

Adam and Teela gasped. "W-what?" Adam sputtered. "How? Why?"

"He was born with a strange birth defect. It was not discovered until recently and there is no way to correct it. It's a miracle he's lived this long. He knows that his days are numbered and Janice will be the one to move the kingdom forward. He was comforted with the future that Durriken told him. That's what started all of this…"

"What do you mean?" Teela asked. "What started this?"

"Esker is a prince. Don't you see? Just like Adam was raised to be a king one day, so was Esker. When they found out that Esker had this condition, they realized that the burden of running the kingdom would fall on Janice and whomever she chose to marry. Esker was worried about not following through on his duty as a prince. He was very concerned about the future of the kingdom. To give Esker peace of mind, King Moraius contacted Durriken and asked him if he could see into the future of Morainia. He could. He told them about Adam's marriage to Janice…"

Adam nodded in understanding. "I see. This is all about consoling Esker, but surely they realize I'll help them with whatever problem Morainia has in the future. King Moraius is good friends with my father. We would never let his kingdom turn into squalor."

The Sorceress simply replied, "You would think so."

Adam turned to Teela and whispered, "It's really best if you don't come. This…is very personal to them. Esker is scared about his death being the downfall of his kingdom. I can understand that fear. It's one of the greatest fears a king and prince can have: that we will do something that ends it all. If Esker has nothing to lose, there is no telling what he might do. He might not be rational in the heat of the moment when we confront them. Anything could happen. And, like the Sorceress said, we don't know Durriken's true motivations, if he really wants to help Morainia or something else. Besides…" He walked closer to her and placed his hand on her abdomen tenderly. "…we don't know if A.J. is here or not. I don't want to make any decisions that might endanger you or him."

Teela blushed profoundly and glanced at the Sorceress. The Sorceress merely watched them and didn't utter a word. That's when Teela widened her eyes. "Hey, wait a minute! We can know now! You know, don't you? You know if I'm pregnant or not. Tell us."

The Sorceress merely lifted her brow and said, "I see the future, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean I know  _when_  things occur. I know of A.J., but that doesn't mean I know when he is conceived."

Teela smiled knowingly and replied, "But that doesn't mean you don't know either. Am I pregnant?"

The Sorceress looked down and said, "I do not want to interfere with the future more than necessary. You will find out on your own. This is not the time for you to know."

Teela opened her mouth to argue, but Adam grabbed her by the elbow and shook his head firmly. "The Sorceress is right. We'll find out when we need to. Regardless of whether you're pregnant or not, you can't come Teela. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

She frowned and mumbled, "And, I can't bear it if something happens to you."

"I won't let anything happen," he insisted. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He let his lips linger there for a moment. When he pulled away, he stared into her eyes and said, "I won't go alone. I'll take Cringer with me, as well as your father."

She widened her eyes. "You're going? I mean, as you? Not He-Man?"

He nodded. "I think this will be the better approach. I can talk with Moraius, Esker, and Janice. I can promise them that I won't allow anything to happen to their kingdom. I think it would be more believable if it came from my lips instead of He-Man's or Man-at-Arms'. They know I'm a man of my word."

She nodded as she bit her lip. It was obvious she was very uneasy about it. Eventually, he nodded and wrapped her arms around him again. As she rested her head on his shoulder, she whispered, "Come back to me, Adam. Be careful."

"I will," he promised as he hugged her tightly.

=)=)=)

The ride back to the palace was made in almost complete silence. Every once in a while, Adam would question if she was okay and she would nod at him. He knew she was worried, but he didn't know what he could do to soothe that anxiety away. He couldn't let her go. There was too much at risk if she did. When they finally landed the Windraider, Adam looked around and said softly, "I guess I should go find your father."

"Must you go right this second?" she asked. He was surprised to see her forlorn expression. She looked absolutely lost.

Startled, he replied, "No, not right away. We know Durriken doesn't know enough to bring Morgoth today, but I do want to get this discussion done and over with as soon as possible."

"I know," she replied. She took his hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed and held it gently and whispered, "I just want you to be with me a little while before you go."

He couldn't deny her anything, so he readily agreed. Together, they walked through the corridors hand-in-hand. Maids, guards, and courtiers alike noticed them, but no one interrupted. Everyone knew they were courting, so they didn't have to hide their intimacy in fear that they would know that they were married. They just acted naturally. When they got to the Royal Wing of the palace, Adam whispered, "Just where are we going, anyway?"

She smiled and said, "I have no idea. I was following you."

He laughed. "I was following you!" He looked around and continued, "Well, it seems as though our subconscious wanted us to go to our bedchambers."

She grinned and questioned, "Our bedchambers or my bedchamber?"

He knew what she was asking. She was trying to jokingly question whether they were going to their own bedchambers separately or going to hers together. To give a hard time, he answered firmly, "Our bedchambers."

When she looked a little disappointed and sad, he clarified by wrapping his arms around her waist, forcing her to face him, and whispering, "We're married now, remember? Your bedchamber is mine, like mine is yours." Before Teela could slap at him for scaring her or any other response she might have, he bent over and touched her lips with his. Immediately, a rush of heat flared between them and they deepened the kiss. As their mouths dueled with one another for dominance, their hands were hardly idle. Adam ran his hands up and down her back, pulling her to him tightly. Teela's, on the other hand, was being far more adventurous. Her hands rubbed up and down his back as well, but every once in a while, she would settle her hands on his posterior and pull her against him. Each time she did this, Adam gave a little grunt of approval. When they eventually ran out of air, they pulled back and hugged one another.

It was at that moment that Adam realized they had a small audience. A few maids had witnessed their display of affection, so he quickly pulled away and grabbed Teela's hand. Before she could question what was wrong, she saw the maids and followed Adam as he pulled her away. Within moments, they were on the hallway which led to their bedchambers.

Without wasting any time, Teela opened hers and pulled him inside quickly. She closed the door hurriedly and locked it. Adam grinned and opened his mouth to say something, but Teela surprised him by jumping into his arms again and pulling on his neck so they could kiss once more. When their lips met again, she breathed harshly through her nose and began to pull on the belt around his tunic.

By the time, Adam became aware of what she was doing, she was already pulling the article of clothing down his arms. He chuckled a little and whispered amusedly, "Uh, Teela? I have to go to Morainia soon. I think I need to have my clothes on for that."

She pulled back and stated matter-of-factly, "That may be true, but I want you now and you don't need your clothes for that." She slapped his tunic to the floor as soon as she got it off his arms and began to pull his undershirt out of his tights almost franticly.

Adam saw this desperation and grabbed her hands to stop her. "Teela, Teela?" he questioned. "Are you okay?"

She met his eyes and answered, "I need you, Adam. I feel like if I don't have you now, my heart will burst."

He let go of her and cupped both her cheeks tenderly as her hands went back to his waist to resume her actions. When he held her so lovingly, though, she stopped moving. He kissed her forehead softly and asked, "You're not worried about my seeing Janice, are you?"

She shook her head. "Of course not, Adam. I trust you. It's just…" She tilted her head to the floor and explained, "It's just that they want to take you away from me and I just…have to feel you close and that oneness before you leave. It's hard to explain…"

He wrapped his arms around her and said, "I understand completely. It's just that you seemed a little—I don't know—anxious a moment ago."

She went back to pulling his shirt from his pants. "I'm not anxious. I just want to feel you against me as quickly as possible."

His blue eyes darkened a little and he felt a warm heat rush throughout his body at her words. Without hesitation, he pulled his shirt off and flung it to the floor. Then, he proceeded to take off her armor as she pulled on his fur-pants. Soon, they were gloriously naked and there was a moment of awkwardness when neither knew how to proceed. Were they going to the bed? Where they going to go slow and tender? Adam didn't know what she wanted specifically. Her earlier need seemed immediate, so he didn't know if she wanted their encounter to be the same, as well. This would only be their second time making love so they hadn't figured out each other's signals yet that would tell them what the other wanted. He knew he could always read her mind, but he didn't want to rely on that.

So instead, he decided to play it by ear. He slowed things down by rubbing his hands slowly up and down her sides. Eventually, though, he grabbed her hips and pulled her to him tenderly. He then lifted a hand to her cheek and brushed it softly before he ran his lips over hers lightly. Then, he increased the pressure and kissed her deeply. Without warning while they were kissing, he swung one arm around her back, the other under knees, and picked her up.

Instantly, Teela pulled her lips from his and gave a little squeal of surprise. "Adam!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

He grinned mischievously as he carried her to her bed. "What?" he questioned innocently. "I had to get my bride to the bed somehow."

She simply smirked at him as he laid her down in the center of the bed and he followed her. Hovering above her, he worked his hips between her thighs and rested against her. Then, he ran his lips over her collarbone, from one side to the other, before his head started drifting lower. When he nuzzled the hollow point between her breasts at the top, he was surprised to feel her pulling at his head. He glanced up with questioning eyes.

"I need you, Adam. I need to feel you. We can worry about foreplay later," she whispered, running her fingers down his face.

He nodded, willing to give her whatever she wanted. He grabbed her hips and rubbed himself against her to make sure that she was indeed ready. When he felt that she was, slowly he entered her body once more. He watched Teela's face as her eyes closed and she lifted her head up a little more as he went deeper and deeper into her body.

When he was finally as far as he could go, he stared at her and waited for her to open her eyes. When she rolled her hips a little and started to move, he tightened his hold on her hips to keep her still. "Teela," he whispered, "look at me."

She opened her eyes and Adam smiled when he noticed that her green eyes had turned a darker shade than normal. Her lips parted as she tilted her head back a little more and brought her chest up a little. "Adam," she whispered as they locked gazes with one another. "Please."

Gently, Adam pulled out and went back in. She breathed in sharply and moaned as Adam did this again slowly. She started to close her eyes at the sensations she was feeling as he continued his slow pace, but he immediately stopped. "Keep your eyes open, Teela," he insisted. "I want to see you and I want you to see me. I want you to see how much I love and want you."

Teela moaned at his words, opened her eyes, and tightened around him. He had to fight to keep his eyes open himself. When she let out a little strangled cry, he began to move again. She had learned her lesson this time, though. She didn't close her eyes again. They kept staring at one another even when they neared completion. Adam made sure she was the first one to finish by pulling back a little, grabbing her hips, and thrusting a little more quickly and deeply.

She let out a gargled sound and began to breathe more roughly. Still they kept their eyes on one another until finally Adam felt her stiffening. He immediately bent over her again and whispered in her ear, "I love you. Let go, Teela. Let me see you."

He pulled back a little to see her face but kept up his movements and that was all it took. She cried out a little as she arched her back up and convulsed around him. Adam then found his completion by increasing his speed slightly during her peak. Their eyes were still locked when they finally slowed and stopped moving.

Adam smiled and whispered, "So beautiful." He started to pull away from her so he wouldn't crush her with his weight, but she brought her legs up and wrapped them around his waist.

"Stay a little longer," she pleaded.

"Of course," he agreed. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. When their lips parted, he rested himself against her completely and questioned, "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"No, I love to feel you surrounding me." She rubbed her hands up and down his back slowly.

He nodded and laid his head down on her pillow as he laid against her. When several minutes had passed, though, he knew he had to shatter the peace that they had found. "Teela," he whispered. He looked at her and she frowned.

She removed her legs and said, "I know. You have to go."

He nodded and when he pulled away, she realized with a smile, "You know, Adam, we didn't use any protection again."

He grinned at her expression and replied, "I know. They're in my room and I wasn't about to leave you to go get them. Besides, I wanted to make sure you know I want a family with you and no one else."

"I do know that, Adam," she whispered with tears coming to her eyes. "I never realized how much I wanted the same until we got together. I used to be scared at the thought of being a mother, because I never had one…" Adam lifted a brow, but before he could say anything, she shook her head. "Let's not discuss that now. We will later. You need to get cleaned up, find my father, and go to Morainia. We'll talk later."

He nodded his agreement and pulled away. "I love you, Teela," he said. "Things will be okay. Our family is going to stay intact and your father and I will convince Moraius and Durriken to stop. I know we will."

She nodded hopefully and whispered, "I know you will, and I love you, too."

Adam pulled away reluctantly. He didn't want to leave her. For a moment, he was resentful. " _I shouldn't have to leave her_ ," he thought angrily, but he dismissed his thought. He knew anger could not be present when speaking with Moraius, Esker, Durriken, or Janice. That wouldn't help his cause at all. So, instead, he focused on Teela to calm himself. He bent back over after he got off the bed and kissed her lips lightly. He then went to grab a shower.

=)=)=)

_Yeah, so I was in a mood for another lovey dovey chapter, haha. I hope you don't mind. Also, hopefully, you found it halfway decent again, LOL._


	42. Telling Duncan

Teela's Visitor Chapter 42

So much was happening in such a small period of time. A month ago, he had believed that he would never get the opportunity to tell Teela that he loved her, and he definitely hadn't thought that they'd get married anytime soon. And, yet, here they were now: married and in love. It almost seemed too good to be true, but he quickly stopped that line of thought. If Durriken had anything to say on the matter, it wouldn't be true—Durriken was going to try to find a way to undo everything Teela and he had fought for recently. He couldn't allow that to happen. He just couldn't.

Adam stepped out of the bathroom completely dressed and ready to go. His eyes immediately searched the room to find Teela dressed and sitting on the bed watching him. He walked over and sat down beside her when he saw her facial expression. She still seemed upset and he didn't want to leave her like that.

"Teela…" he began. His words were cut short by Teela grabbing his hand and turning to look straight at him. He could tell she had something to say.

"Adam, before you go, I think I need to go with you to find my father."

He furrowed his brow in confusion. He hadn't expected her to say that, because she was looking at him so seriously. "Okay," he said a little hesitantly.

She upturned her lips briefly. She must have guessed that he wasn't quite sure why she had made the offer, because she explained. "I don't think you should ride off to Morainia with my father without him knowing about _us_. Undoubtedly, Durriken will mention our marriage and I don't want Father finding out like that. He'd be upset, and while he might be upset anyway, I think finding out from a stranger would make it even worse."

Adam nodded in agreement even though his heart sped up drastically. He wasn't sure why, but he was feeling a little nervous about telling Duncan he had married his daughter. He supposed it was for the same reasons any other guy would be nervous: he ran off with Duncan's "little girl" and took her away from him behind his back; Duncan hadn't even been given the opportunity to give her away; and he hadn't asked for permission to marry her. Any father would be upset. Now, he was about to go find the man, tell him about their marriage, and then expect him to go with him to Morainia to prevent an oracle from undoing their wedding… If Teela's father had been anyone but Duncan, he would have halfway expected him to try to help Durriken to undo everything. He knew Duncan wouldn't do that, though. Despite the fact that Teela and he had eloped, he knew Man-at-Arms only wanted to see them happy.

Shaking his head to try to get these thoughts out of his mind, he responded to Teela softly, "I think that's a good idea. Truthfully, I didn't even think about telling Man-at-Arms. I've been too concerned with everything else…"

He could tell she forced her current smile on her face, but he was glad to see it there nonetheless. "Hey, it's my job now to keep you straight!" she exclaimed.

He leaned towards her and before their lips met, he whispered, "And, you do such a good job." They kissed lightly—it was little more than a soft press of the lips, but it warmed them anyway.

Hand-in-hand, they stood and left the room. They went straight to Duncan's workshop and was glad to see that he was alone working on one of his latest inventions.

"Hey, Duncan," Adam said in greeting.

"Hey, Father," Teela added.

Immediately, Man-at-Arms looked up from his work and grinned at them. "There are the two lovebirds," he teased. He focused his attention on Adam and said, "I know things have been rather hectic with your courtship, Durriken, and everything else, but your father is on the verge of hunting this whole palace down for you."

Both Teela and Adam gaped at him. "Why?" they asked, surprised.

Duncan grinned and answered, "You know as well as I do, Adam, that you have been shirking your royal duties. You have missed several meetings and allowed your paperwork to pile up. While Randor is amused that love has blinded you to everything else, he's about to lay down the law pretty soon."

Adam immediately sighed and mumbled, "I knew it would catch his attention, eventually. I just wish it hadn't been today."

That caught Duncan's attention. He placed the device and tool he was holding in his hands down and gave his visitors his undivided attention, which was evident by the turn of his body and the intense look on his face. "Why not?" he questioned. "Has something happened?"

"No, nothing's happened," Teela answered before Adam had the chance to. He turned to look at her as he felt her slip her hand into his again. It was at that moment that he noticed his entire body had suddenly relaxed. He hadn't even realized that he had tightened himself so badly, but she must have. She continued to speak. "We need to prevent something from happening, though, and we have some news to share with you…" She allowed her voice to fade away, but she maintained eye contact.

As for Duncan, he looked back and forth between them. He must have sensed the seriousness of their topics, because he appeared to be as nervous as Adam felt. "What is it?" he asked tensely.

Teela turned her attention back to Adam when he squeezed her hand tightly. "Let me," he mumbled to her and she nodded. He turned to Duncan and stared him straight in the eye. "There's no easy way to say this," he said softly. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and continued, "Please trust me when I say that it was absolutely necessary and that I hope you understand…"

"What is it, son?" he questioned worriedly.

Adam looked at Teela once more and she nodded at him again. The moment had arrived. He stated as calmly as he could manage, "Teela and I got married yesterday."

The room was filled with silence for a moment. The only sound that could be heard was a tiny gasp of air that Duncan had sucked in. Eventually, he shook his head and asked in astonishment, "What?"

Teela sighed and took over. "Father, Adam and I got married yesterday. You already know the reasons: Durriken is threatening our relationship and we had to stop him somehow…"

Duncan finally shook himself from his stupor and exclaimed, "So, you thought the solution was to run off and get married behind everyone's backs?"

Adam wasn't quite sure how Duncan felt about their actions. The soldier was surprised, yes, but that was all he could tell at this point. He nodded at his friend and expounded, "Actually, yes, we did think that a quick marriage would stop Durriken. He'd be too late, so to speak…"

Duncan glared at them and they could tell he was gritting his teeth. Finally, he asked, "Do you have any idea how the king is going to react? He was so pleased with the prospect of you two having an official courtship, and now…" He flapped his arms helplessly.

"It couldn't help be helped, Father," Teela insisted. "We had to do something. I love Adam, and I just couldn't bear the thought of losing him."

Duncan closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose as if a sudden headache had developed there. "I can imagine how you two must have felt. I just wish you would have come to me first," he mumbled.

Teela frowned. "There wasn't much time. We made the decision quickly, and besides, we couldn't risk you trying to stop us."

Duncan wiped his face slowly as if trying to wake himself up and then replied, "Well, I suppose I'll look on the bright side: at least you did stop Durriken's plans. It's not the way I would have gone about it, but…" Adam and Teela looked at each other worriedly and Duncan noticed this. "Uh, your marriage has stopped him, right?"

Adam shook his head. "I'm afraid not. The Sorceress had a vision afterward. He's going to release Morgoth so he can turn back time or travel through time…something. Anyway, he's going to try to prevent Teela and me from even courting. That's why I'm about to leave for Morainia. I have to speak with Durriken as well as Moraius. I have to explain that I would never allow any harm to come to their kingdom, and we also have to convince them that it would be a mistake to release Morgoth." He paused for a second and said softly, "I was hoping you would come with me since I'm going as Adam. I thought it would be better to come from me than He-Man or someone else."

Duncan nodded without hesitation and replied, "Yes, I'll go with you, and we should leave as soon as possible."

Adam agreed and twisted to look at Teela, but before the couple could speak with one another, Duncan inserted, "BUT…" They turned to stare at him. "…we are not through discussing your marriage. When we get back to the palace, we're going to discuss your actions and the repercussions they are going to have."

"Yes, sir," they both muttered.

=)=)=)

He knew Duncan was seriously disappointed in him. He could tell because his mentor hadn't said five words to him after leaving Teela's presence and getting a Windraider ready for their departure. Now that Duncan was piloting the craft, he wouldn't even look at him.

Adam glanced in the backseat at Cringer and saw the animal's sympathetic gaze. He knew even Cringer could feel the awkwardness that existed between them now. For a moment, he was about to apologize and try to make him understand once more, but he stopped himself. He realized he couldn't lie to the man. The fact was he wasn't sorry, not in the slightest…

He knew if he had the opportunity to do it all over again, he would. He wouldn't change a thing. His mind drifted to his wedding. Teela had been so beautiful, and despite the lack of their family, everything had been perfect. He then thought about their wedding night. A smile spread across his face. Teela and he had waited for that moment for so long and it had exceeded expectations. Just thinking about their lovemaking then and earlier today made him want to turn the Windraider around and experience it once more.

" _But you'll have plenty of time for that later_ ," he told himself. He'd make sure of that. He was determined now to stop Durriken. One way or another, he was going to protect his marriage. He couldn't even fathom anyone taking Teela away from him, especially now that they were married. " _And, that A.J. is possibly on his way, as well_." His smile widened into a cheesy grin.

Finally, Duncan spoke. "What has you so happy over there?"

The prince jumped. "Oh, nothing…I was just thinking."

Duncan scrutinized him and then shared certain observations he had made. "Well, we're on our way to Morainia to stop individuals from ruining your marriage. You're in a Windraider with your wife's father, who should be furious with you right now…"

"So, you're not mad at me?" he questioned hopefully.

Duncan ignored the question and continued, "…and instead of being worried or uncomfortable, you're grinning like a shrieker who just ate wolfbat. That can only mean one thing."

When he didn't continue, Adam questioned, "What?"

Duncan turned to him for only a brief second and then stated, "Teela and you have already consummated your marriage and that's what you were thinking about…"

Adam gasped. He hadn't expected Teela's father to be so blunt about the topic. Feeling completely embarrassed, he scratched the back of his neck and mumbled, "Uh, yes…we did."

Duncan nodded but didn't look at him again. He kept looking forward. "But I assume you did, at least, use protection. I know you two want to have A.J., but surely, you would choose to wait until things have settled down."

Adam couldn't answer. It felt like a large boulder had just lodged itself in his throat.

After a long silence had developed, Duncan glanced at him again and then squeezed his eyes shut with a short shake of his head. "You didn't, did you?"

Adam bit his lip for a moment and then said, "Maybe we shouldn't discuss this right now. I have too much to handle and worry about and…"

"Precisely," Duncan stated with a glare, "A baby is going to complicate things even more if we don't solve this situation right away. Teela won't even be able to help. In fact, we'd have to protect her more so than we would have if she's carrying the heir to the throne."

Adam buried his face in his hands and groaned. This day was getting worse and worse…


	43. Meeting with Moraius

# 

Teela's Visitor Chapter 43

Adam could see Morainia in the distance and he actually sighed in relief at the sight. Ever since Duncan had discovered that Teela and he had not used protection when they consummated their marriage, Duncan had gone back to being silent and grinding his teeth together. Adam could tell by the way his friend's cheek kept moving back and forth.

He was conflicted on how he should respond to the elder. One the one hand, Teela was his daughter and Man-at-Arms had every right to be upset about their actions concerning the wedding; however, when it came to matters in the bedroom and their decisions for their immediate family, it was also none of his business. And, there was a part of him that wanted to tell Duncan precisely that, but he knew that might cause some hard feelings. It was already bad enough that he had married his daughter behind his back. He didn't have to make it worse by also being belligerent because he didn't like Duncan's response to everything.

This time, instead of landing the Windraider outside the city when they got to Morainia, they headed straight for Moraius' castle. Before they had left Eternos, they both had agreed that it would probably be wise to talk to the king first and get his support before handling Durriken. Without speaking, they got out of the Windraider and Adam started walking towards this castle when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and pull on him.

He stopped and glanced back.

Duncan pressed his lips together for a second, looking down at the ground. When he finally glanced upward, he said, "I don't want things to get out of hand with Moraius or between you and me. I want you to be focused and not overly worried over things that have no reason for why we're here today." He sighed and then continued, "Yes, I'm angry with you and Teela, but I am glad to have you as a son-in-law. I want you to know that before we walk in there. I'll have your back."

Adam felt a lot of tension leave his body. Duncan's words did take a lot of metaphysical weight off of his shoulders. Hopefully, Moraius would take off a lot more. He nodded and smiled softly. "I appreciate that, Duncan. I feel the same way."

Duncan squeezed his shoulder for a moment and then stepped ahead of the prince to lead the way. Adam couldn't help but smile and shake his head a little. He wasn't sure if the soldier was aware of his doings, but he had slipped into the role of bodyguard. He was stepping into unfamiliar territory first. Adam had taken note of it, because it was so rare that Duncan actually did this since he had become He-Man. Of course, most of the time when they went on a mission, he was He-Man, so that would explain the difference between now and those times. He was a lot more vulnerable as Prince Adam, more so than him, because he didn't have on a substantial amount of armor. In fact, he didn't have on any at all aside from wrist guards.

He watched as Duncan knocked on the castle doors and waited patiently until someone opened it. When it occurred, a soldier stepped out. Before the man got a good look at the visitors, he said, "State your business." After the words were uttered, he widened his eyes slightly when he got a good look at Duncan and then Adam.

Man-at-Arms merely replied calmly, "Prince Adam is here to speak with King Moraius."

The guard immediately opened the door and turned to Adam. "Yes, Your Highness. I'm sorry I didn't notice you right away."

"That's quite all right," Adam said politely and followed Duncan and the soldier inside. They walked down a long corridor that seemed to last for a mile. He knew from the last time he had visited Morainia that they were heading to the throne room; therefore, he wasn't surprised when they stopped outside the doors at the end of the hall.

The guard looked at the prince and said, "May I announce to the king that you are here before you step inside?"

"Of course," Adam said, slightly amused that he would ask. While he knew he was the High Prince of Eternia, it was custom for guests to be announced in all kingdoms no matter who they were. Yes, he had the right to simply march in there if he wanted to, but he always tried not to take any more privileges than he had to.

The guard disappeared inside and it only took several seconds for the soldier to stick his head back out and say, "You may come in."

The doors opened wider and they stepped inside to find King Moraius sitting upon his throne with Esker and Janice at the bottom of the steps on the ground floor.

"Ah, Prince Adam," Moraius greeted, "it's good to see you again." He stood and walked down the steps to greet his guests. Like the first time they had met, he took Adam's hand in his and squeezed it happily. The king then turned to Man-at-Arms and nodded at him.

There were a few awkward seconds that followed this greeting. Adam knew the awkwardness was there because Moraius hadn't expected their visit so he had no idea why they were there, and as for Man-at-Arms and himself, they didn't know how to start the conversation.

Janice was the one to get the ball rolling. "Hello, Adam," she said softly. "I'm pleased to see you in Morainia once more. What brings you from Eternos?"

Grateful that she had given him an opening, he replied honestly. "Hi, Janice. I needed to speak with your father."

"What about?" Esker asked coolly, folding his arms across his chest obstinately. The Morainian prince didn't seem too thrilled to see them. In fact, his countenance was nearly hostile. Adam was surprised, because while Esker had always had a snobbish air around him, he had never blatantly showed a dislike for anyone's presence…aside from his sister those few times, that is.

Still determined to be as honest as possible and needing to get it over with, Adam replied, "The future of Morainia, as well as my future." He turned his attention back to the king and continued, "I know about Durriken and I really need to speak with you about that."

At the mention of Durriken's name, all three members of the Morainian monarchy gasped.

Moraius was the first to recover and asked cautiously, "What have you heard, Prince Adam?"

Adam glanced quickly at Janice and breathed in deeply. This was going to be an awkward conversation with the princess present, but he realized it would probably be for the best that she was. She would be able to see the love he had for Teela and she would be able to hear his thoughts on what he wanted for the future. He would be sure to make his feelings perfectly known, so she wouldn't have any lingering hopes of the future that might have been. Clearing his throat, he answered, "I've heard about the future Durriken saw…you know, the one before I began to court Teela." He pressed his lips together firmly and then stated, "I know that not so long ago, my choices in life were leading me to a path in which I would marry Janice." He looked at the princess and gave a small, polite smile. He glanced back at the king. "I'm sure the future that Durriken saw was filled with happiness and many good things, but I know—thanks to the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull—that the future has changed. I…"

He paused, because he was about to get in a subject that would probably be touchy for all of them. "I also know that Morainia will have some hardships in the future. In the original future, I know Janice and I solved them together as husband and wife." He didn't look away from Moraius at this difficult moment. Instead, he stepped forward and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I know you and Esker want to secure Morainia's future. I understand that, and I want you to know that regardless of whether I'm married to Janice or not, I would never let Morainia fall. You are one of my father's closest friends. I promise you that we will help Morainia should any crises arise. You have my word."

Moraius continued to stare at Adam and finally asked after a few moments of silence, "Why are you truly here, Prince Adam? You could have told me this from Eternos."

Now, it was the moment of truth: "I love Teela," he said abruptly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I already know that you are aware of our marriage. I have an oracle of my own." The Morainian family widened their eyes in surprise at his words, but he continued anyway, "I know Durriken wants to change things in the past to prevent my courtship with Teela. I'm here to tell you that it's unnecessary. I will help Morainia in any way that I can. I don't have to marry Janice to do that." He then swallowed roughly. "I'm also here to tell you that it would be a huge mistake to release Morgoth from the other dimension. I know you've done research on the wizard and because of that, you should know he wishes to take over the entire planet. You cannot trust him and he will kill or enslave us all if you give him that chance." He looked at Janice and said softly, "Don't you see? The future that we would have shared is gone and we won't be able to get it back even if Durriken changed the past. With Morgoth's release, he will change everything! The entire planet might fall, especially since no one would see him coming, not even you…not even He-Man."

Adam watched as tears swarmed to Janice's eyes. He looked away, because he couldn't stand to see her pain and know that he was the cause. He felt horrible about it, but there was nothing he could do about it. Durriken should have never told her of what they might have had and she wouldn't have had to go through this. Because he was no longer looking at her, he was surprised when he felt a tiny hand slip into his. He turned back and saw Janice stepping in front of him.

"You're right," Janice said softly. "Morgoth doesn't have to be and shouldn't be involved in this. I know what you say is true. His presence in the past and future would change everything, and I don't want that." She paused. "We could fix this without all that."

Adam widened his eyes slightly and took a step back, but she didn't let go of his hand. "W-what?" he stammered. "What do you mean? What would we be fixing?"

Janice tightened her grip on Adam's hand and brought it up to her lips. She kissed it softly before Adam pulled it away roughly. Tears filled her eyes once more. "I love you."

Before she could say anything else, he interrupted, "You don't know me, Janice. You're in love with the idea of who I would have been. That's not me—that's not who I am now. I never will be him."

Janice began to look determined. "I do know who you are, Adam. I've loved you from the moment I met you. You are still the man I met when you first came to Morainia."

Adam closed his eyes and replied, "You only saw a part of me that day, Janice. You can't truly know a person in only a few days. Besides, there isn't a way to fix this situation to your liking. I'm married. Teela and I are husband and wife, and that's exactly the way I want things to be."

Esker stepped forward hurriedly and snapped, "How do you know that? You haven't given my sister a chance! You haven't given your future a chance to happen as it should have!"

Adam closed his eyes to calm himself. This was not going the way he had wanted it to at all. When he reopened them, he stated calmly, "I don't want it to happen. I love Teela. There is no point in arguing over this. I'm married and you can't release Morgoth, because that would bring more pain and trouble than we need…"

Janice spoke softly, "No one knows you're married to Teela. You could annul the marriage and no one would be none the wiser."

Adam gasped. "What?"

"We're meant to be together, Adam," Janice insisted. "If you would just give me a chance, you would see that."

Adam closed his eyes again to reign in his emotion and shook his head. Suddenly, his eyes shot open when two arms slipped around his neck and he felt Janice's lips on his. He immediately put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away. "No," he said, admonishingly.

Janice placed her hands on her hips and said, "You can't deny that you felt something right then. You can't…"

Adam pursed his lips for a second and then announced, "Yes, I can. I didn't feel anything, because I don't love you, Janice. I love Teela. I don't know how many times I have to say it. Divorcing Teela and marrying you would not solve anything, because I would still be in love with her and that isn't fair to you or me." He stepped closer to her and whispered, "The future is what we make of it and no one should try to follow what some oracles have told him or her. How do you know they don't have their own agenda? We have to follow our hearts."

"Mine is pointing me towards you," she insisted.

"Mine isn't," he replied.

When tears slipped down her cheeks, he lifted his hand and wiped them away. "I do not say these things to hurt you. I just have to make you understand that Teela is the love of my life. She always has been, even before I met you. She's all I've ever wanted. I have her now, so I can't let go." He dropped his hand from her face and grabbed her hand. "I will help you save Morainia if anything goes wrong in the future. You are my friend, and nothing will ever change that, not even this."

He let go of her hand and looked at Man-at-Arms. The soldier nodded at him and motioned his head towards King Moraius.

Adam walked back to him and said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry that this got so heated. That was not my intention. I just have to make you understand that…"

Moraius lifted his hand to stop his words. "I understand, Prince Adam. You don't have to explain. I had hopes that Janice and you could have a future together. I had that hope even when you spoke to Janice just now, but I do not want to force you to do something you are so set against. That wouldn't make my daughter happy, I know that. Only, we do have a problem…"

"What problem?" Adam and Duncan asked.

Moraius frowned and said, "Durriken told me earlier in the day that he had a meeting with someone…someone who might know a way to bring Morgoth from the other dimension."

Adam gasped. "Who?"

Moraius shrugged. "He wouldn't say. He said it was best if I didn't."

Adam glanced at Duncan and he knew the same thought entered their minds. The three most powerful people on Eternia were well known: He-Man, the Sorceress of Grayskull…and Skeletor. Was it possible Durriken would ask Skeletor to help him? Would he be that foolish? Or, could it possibly be someone else? Adam was afraid but determined to find out…

=)=)=)

_I wanted this chapter to be a little longer, but I got to a stopping point faster than I intended to, haha. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know the website has been acting up recently, so I'm hoping everyone is still interested in this story. And, don't worry for those of you PMing me, you will read about King Randor and Queen Marlena very soon. And, yes, the situation with A.J. will be addressed in this story. Just stick with me and I'll get there. Like I said I have big plans coming. Anyway, let me know what you think!_


	44. Conversing with King Randor

Teela's Visitor Chapter 44

"Shouldn't we be going to see Skeletor?" Adam asked when he noticed Duncan was flying them back to the Royal Palace instead of Snake Mountain. He knew, without a doubt in his mind, that Durriken went to Skeletor for help to release Morgoth from the other dimension. Truthfully, he had been waiting for quite some time for the villain to get involved in this somehow. " _Dastardly deeds that threaten Eternia's future wouldn't be complete without Skeletor's involvement_ ," he thought to himself sarcastically.

He turned wary eyes to his mentor and saw Duncan shaking his head. "No, I'm dropping you off at the palace; then, I'm going to Castle Grayskull to talk with the Sorceress about this."

Adam opened his mouth to object, but Duncan wouldn't let him. "You need to go to the palace and get caught up on your royal duties or your father is going to babysit you for the next week to make sure everything gets done. We don't need his scrutiny right now."

The prince allowed his head to fall back heavily on the headrest behind him. "I always get behind with my royal duties. I'm sure Father is and has been quite aware of that fact for quite some time…"

Duncan nodded and agreed, "You're right. He is aware, but this time, you've let it get out of hand. Your father grabbed some of your paperwork this morning to go through it."

Adam widened his eyes, clearly startled at the news. "He what?"

Duncan nodded again. "Yeah. And, he made the comment that he was going to have a heart-to-heart with you about your procrastinating."

Adam sighed and looked towards Snake Mountain once more. "Yeah, well, Eternia's future is more important than paperwork and meetings…"

Duncan flipped off the rocket boosters as they approached the palace to slow down for their descent. When they landed outside Man-at-Arms' workshop, he replied, "Don't forget you are the prince. These meetings and that paperwork deal with the future of Eternia, as well. It may not seem as dire, but it's just as important."

"I know," Adam agreed reluctantly. "It's just that those things won't matter if we don't stop Durriken. We have priorities here and…"

Duncan shook his head and reasoned with him. "Whether it's you that goes to Grayskull or me, it won't make a difference in regards to stopping Durriken. We're only going to get information and hear what the Sorceress thinks. If I go and you stay here, you can put a dent in that pile of work on your desk. Not to mention, you can see Teela and calm her down. Without a doubt, she's going to want to see you as soon as possible."

Adam couldn't argue with that. Just one thing niggled in the back of his mind at the mention of his wife. "When are you going to come speak with Teela and me…you know, about our wedding?"

Now, it was Duncan's turn to sigh. "One thing at a time, Adam," he replied. "We'll handle that at some point when I get back. Until then, get out, go find your wife, and then get some paperwork done."

"Yes, sir," Adam replied playfully and laughed, highly amused at his mentor's bossiness.

=)=)=)

Teela sat on top of a picnic table alone in the courtyard. She was staring at the promise ring on her finger and twisting it back and forth slowly. Adam crept up behind her stealthily and didn't make a sound until he said in an intentionally deep voice, "Teela."

Immediately, she jumped off the table hurriedly and then turned around. "Adam!" she exclaimed. "You scared me!" She looked like she was about to scold him.

He grinned victoriously, but before he could make any kind of reply, Teela walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and met his lips in a kiss that burned with its intensity. She pressed her mouth against his firmly and then brushed her tongue against him. When Adam opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, she ran her hands up and down his back while pulling him closer. Adam's hands were hardly idle during this encounter. He wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled her too him roughly as his lips devoured hers. With his free hand, he brought it up, cupped the side of her cheek, and held it tenderly to not only keep her hair, which was now loose, out of the way but to make her tilt her head to give him the advantage to lead the kiss to its smoldering conclusion.

When they finally pulled their lips apart, Adam wrapped both arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Hey, you," he whispered as she buried her face in his shoulder and breathed in deeply.

"Hey, you," she mumbled against his skin.

The sensation of her lips against his neck and shoulder was doing a number on his brain. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pick her up, lie her across the picnic table, and make passionate love to her right then and there, but he knew the location was highly inappropriate. Not to mention, they had a lot to talk about and he had a lot of work to get through.

He pulled back reluctantly and met her eyes with a smile. "I'm back," he whispered.

She grinned. "I see that. So, how did things go?"

Quickly, he pulled away and she frowned. He knew his actions worried her, so he sought to comfort her right away. "Overall, things went well with Moraius. At first he still hoped that Janice and I might have a future together, but in the end, he said he didn't want to force me into a relationship with his daughter."

"That's definitely good news," she commented as she watched Adam's face intently. Evidently, she saw something she didn't like, though, because she frowned and asked, "And, what's the bad news?"

Adam sighed. He knew she was going to ask. "The bad news is that Durriken wasn't there. He told Moraius that he was going to find someone to help him release Morgoth. The problem is Moraius didn't know who, but I have a suspicion…"

"Skeletor," Teela said without hesitation.

Adam nodded in agreement. He was surprised to see Teela's face redden significantly.

"It never stops, does it?" she questioned angrily. "Every time we move a step forward, something else happens that puts us in worse shape than we were before!" She folded her hands across her chest and he could almost see her blood pressure rising.

Quickly, to calm her, he whispered, "Oh, I don't know about that." He placed both of his hands at the top of her neck to cradle her head and rub his thumbs across her cheeks. "We're married now. That's definitely not a 'worse shape than before.'" He grinned and it widened as he watched her smile.

"That's true," she agreed.

Adam kissed her tenderly and when he pulled away, he was surprised to hear her next question. "Did you see Janice?"

That was a topic that Adam wished he could have avoided, but he promised himself that he wouldn't hide anything from her if she asked. So, without hesitation, he nodded. "Yes," he answered. "She was in the throne room when I spoke with Moraius."

"And, what did she have to say about all of this?"

Adam sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to like what he had to say. He started with the good news first, though. "She agreed that Morgoth shouldn't be involved in this."

"Well, praise the Ancients for that!" Teela exclaimed.

He nodded and then whispered, "But, she still…" He paused for a moment and he saw Teela's expression become a little apprehensive.

"What is it?" she asked.

Swallowing roughly, he decided the best way to tell her what happened was to simply state it. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I don't want to keep any secrets from you anymore. I told you that I wouldn't and I mean to keep that promise. Something happened that I know I should tell you, but before I do, just let me say that I took care of it right away and she knows exactly how I feel about her actions."

Teela wrinkled her brow with worry. "What happened?"

After pursing his lips together for a few moments to gather his thoughts, he whispered, "She kissed me." When her jaw dropped open, he explained, "She told me that she loved me and that she wanted to be with me. She even had the audacity to say that you and I could get a divorce since no one knew of our marriage. When I wasn't looking, she grabbed and kissed me. I assure you that I immediately pulled away. She told her that I didn't love her and that I love you. She knows there is no future between us."

He watched Teela bite her bottom lip softly.

"Teela?" he questioned. When she didn't answer, he continued, "Look, I'm sorry! It just happened. I didn't expect it, and I certainly didn't kiss her back. You can ask your father. He was right there and witnessed the whole thing…"

He couldn't get much more out, because suddenly Teela's lips were on his and she was pushing him backwards. When his knees collided with the picnic table bench roughly, they buckled and she took advantage by pushing him down on the seat. Quickly, she placed her legs on each side of his hips and sat down on his lap. During all of this, she didn't take her lips from his once.

When she finally did pull away, they were panting roughly.

"Teela?" he questioned as he tried to catch his breath and gather his wits.

She tightened her thigh muscles around his hips and replied, "Did you make it clear that you are mine?"

Her voice was so deep and husky and her glare was so intense that he immediately gasped at the onslaught of desire that hit him. He suddenly knew what was going on: Teela was jealous! She had no reason to be whatsoever, but he found that he liked the response nonetheless. "She knows I'm yours and yours only," he replied; "I made sure of that."

She glared at him for a few seconds more before she kissed him again as she pressed and rubbed her body against his tightly. Adam had just placed his hands on her hips and begun to rub them, when they heard someone clearing their throat loudly.

Instantly, they pulled away from one another slightly and looked in the direction of the sound. "Father!" Adam exclaimed, standing up but holding onto Teela to make sure she caught her footing before he let go.

"It's about time I found you," his father stated, obviously ignoring the compromising situation he found them in. Undoubtedly, the purity test results that Haelan had provided the king stopped any diatribe that might have occurred if this had happened beforehand.

King Randor smiled in amusement at the couple and turned to Teela. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid I need to speak with my son." At Teela's raised brow, he explained, "It seems the prince has forgotten that he has duties that must be performed daily, so I'd like to have a word with him."

Teela flashed a sympathetic look towards her husband, and Adam couldn't help but notice the astonished expression on his father's face. In the past, when Adam had supposedly missed an appointment or lazed about, Teela and the king would actually berate him together, or at the very least they would make disparaging comments about him to one another. Yes, he knew they did that even outside of his presence, so he could understand his father's surprise.

Smiling at the change, he looked at the king and said, "I'm sorry, Father. Things have just been so crazy and hectic recently."

Randor nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know that, Adam, but a king—and a prince—has to work through those challenges. The kingdom doesn't stop because one is…in love."

Adam blushed despite the fact that Teela wasn't the only reason why he had gotten so far behind. He knew that was the perception that everyone had, though. It made him seem like a love-stricken puppy. Truthfully, he was at this point…

King Randor laughed at Adam's expression and patted him on the back firmly. "Come, son. You and I will work together to get it back down to a reasonable level. Then, it's up to you to not let it pile up again. Deal?"

Adam swallowed nervously, looking at his wife. He knew why his father was making such a generous offer. The king wanted to take the opportunity to talk to him as they worked. Undoubtedly, Teela would come up, especially the results of her purity test. He wondered if he should take the opportunity to tell the king of their marriage. Of course, he had wanted to do that with his mother present, as well as Teela. He supposed he could play it by ear. Meeting his father's eyes, he nodded and replied, "Deal."

=)=)=)

King Randor led his son into the prince's office. Adam was surprised to see that his father already had all of his files separated into two piles on a table, which he obviously had placed in the room earlier that morning. The king smiled at his son and said, "I know this makes things kind of tight in here, but I wanted us to have enough workspace to get the job done _and_ I wanted to be somewhat close so we could talk…I knew you wouldn't mind."

Having his earlier suspicions confirmed, Adam didn't know if he was looking forward to their discussion or not. He knew a chastisement was in order for letting things pile up, but he had no idea what his father would say about Teela and the fact that she had undergone the test of purity. That was the big news, after all, since the king didn't know about their secret wedding. Regardless, Adam knew he was going to find out his father's thoughts very soon.

The king sat on one side of the table and gestured for his son to sit on the other. Without hesitation, Adam did as he was told and grabbed the closest pile to him. Before the king grabbed his, Adam took that opportunity to apologize. "I'm sorry that I let this pile up, Father. It's just that…things kept coming up, and of course, I had all of these courting rituals with Teela. It's been a bit overwhelming."

He was surprised when he didn't hear his father contradict or criticize him in any way. Instead, the king actually smiled.

"I remember when I first started courting your mother," King Randor began. "I was a little older than you are now and I was already king, so you can imagine the amount of work I had to do. I had a hard time trying to keep up, especially since the only thing I really wanted to do was spend time with Marlena."

The king's smile widened and Adam couldn't help but smile back at him. There had been times in his life when he believed his father and he would never find common ground with one another. Oh, he knew they were a lot alike in many ways: they had similar features, they both believed in the good of all people, they didn't judge others by their rank or money, and they both had the same work ethic… But He-Man's existence made those things harder to notice in Prince Adam. He had to hide his true self. He had to pretend to be foolish and irresponsible, which was essentially the exact opposite of his father and the man he truly was. Because of this, he had resigned to the fact that his relationship with his father would always be the status quo. He accepted it. And, now, all of that was changing. His father and he were actually connecting with one another because of his courtship with Teela, of all things! He smiled happily, but then it faded when he realized the news of his marriage would probably bring this camaraderie and newfound closeness to a screeching halt.

King Randor was oblivious to his son's sudden change in mood. He laughed and shared his recollections of the past: "She was absolutely no help either. She'd always say, 'Oh, Randy, can't that wait?'" He paused and looked at his son conspiratorially. "Don't you tell anyone she used to call me that! Randy was some infuriating Earth name that she called me when she was complaining or wanted something. She knew it drove me crazy and not in a good way." He laughed again.

Adam tried to smile despite his declining mood and join the conversation. "Luckily, Teela hasn't resorted to calling me anything but Adam, yet."

"She will eventually," Randor stated confidently. "It won't necessarily be a nickname like that, but you'll end up with some kind of term of endearment. I'm sure you've noticed over the years that I call your mother 'my dear.' She comes to expect it, and the Ancients help me, if I forget to do it whenever we part. I'll pay for it later, believe me."

That was something Adam did know. One time, he had witnessed his mother ignoring his father for the better part of a day when he was a kid. Later that night, he had snuck outside their bedroom, so he could hear them talking. His mother had accused him of not paying her any attention that morning and had even forgotten to address her as he normally did. From that moment onward, he knew that simple term "my dear" was akin to saying "I love you" to the Royal Couple. He smiled at the thought and agreed with his father. "We probably will."

King Randor nodded and opened the first folder on his pile. He glanced through it quickly before picking up a pen. Without looking at his son, he asked softly, "So, I take it things are going well between you and Teela."

Adam had already opened his file and begun to sign off on certain orders to be done. He looked up at his father's comment briefly before continuing with his work and answering. "Things are good. We…love each other." Out the corner of his eye, he could see his father smiling and nodding.

"Are you sure?" the king asked. "I mean, are you sure a relationship is what you and Teela want with each other?"

Adam put his pen down then and looked at his father. He didn't speak until the king also looked up. When their eyes met, the prince stated firmly, "I'm very sure. We want to spend the rest of our lives with one another."

The king reached over and grabbed his son's hand to give it a strong squeeze. "I'm glad to hear it. Teela is a good woman—I think she'll make a great princess and queen." He paused for a few moments and then sighed. "Have people been giving you or Teela a hard time about your relationship?"

Inwardly, Adam cringed. This conversation was already getting a little too close to the very topic he didn't think he should bring up right away, but he answered honestly. "Somewhat," he admitted.

King Randor signed something in the file hurriedly, tossed it aside, and picked up the next one. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked calmly.

Sighing, Adam shook his head. "I don't know. You already know part of it."

Randor seemed shocked. "I do?"

He nodded. "Yeah, King Moraius and Princess Janice," Adam stated. "They don't approve of Teela. In fact, Princess Janice wants me to marry her instead, and King Moraius and Prince Esker think that's a pretty good idea."

King Randor stared at his son almost as if he had grown a second head. "Have they actually told you that?" He sounded more than a little angry.

"More or less," he mumbled, "but don't worry about it. I took care of it."

King Randor continued to stare at him and then said with a shake of his head, "You might have taken care of it, but I told Moraius to drop that nonsense. I'll have another talk with him. He has no right to interfere or give opinions…" He actually started to get up.

"Father! Father!" Adam said interrupting him immediately and grabbing onto his arm. "Please, don't! Like I said, I took care of it. Besides…I understand why they reacted in such a way."

"You do?" It was obvious the king had no idea what the prince was talking about. He sat back down and looked at his son expectantly.

Adam nodded and then looked down at his file. He bit his lip as he contemplated what else to share at that moment. Without taking his eyes off the folder in front of him, he replied, "Prince Esker is very sick…he's not expected to outlive his father. They just want Janice to have a good partner to help her with running Morainia…" After he was through speaking, he finally chanced a look at his father.

King Randor's mouth was gaped open. Eventually, though, he snapped out of it and questioned, "Prince Esker's sick? I didn't know. Ancients…" He pulled another file off the pile and opened it. His eyes skimmed the page before he finally leaned back in his seat. He looked like he wanted to say something, so Adam waited patiently. Eventually, the king did speak. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you, Adam…and it would be so much worse to know that something will happen and there's nothing that you can do about it." He shook his head. "What is wrong with Esker?"

Adam shrugged. "It's some kind of birth defect he was born with. I don't know too much about it. I just know he's going to die and there is no cure."

"Ancients," Randor repeated. He watched his son carefully and then asked softly, "Did they try to use that…you know, as a means to get you to consent to courting Janice instead of Teela?"

Adam immediately shook his head. "No, they didn't. They explained the situation, but in no way did they try to make feel sorry for Esker or anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I do feel for them, but I love Teela. I told Moraius, Janice, and Esker that we would do anything we can to help their kingdom if something should happen in the future. I gave them my word."

King Randor nodded with intense approval. "I'm glad you did, son. I feel the same way, and I'm also glad you stuck with your heart. If you had called things off with Teela and married Janice, you wouldn't have been happy and you would have regretted it for the rest of your life."

"I know," Adam agreed.

The two got back to work then, and they had both gone through several files before the king interrupted the silence once more. "So, who was questioning Teela's purity?"

Adam knew where the question came from. He even knew why it was being asked, but the moment surprised him nonetheless. "What?" he gasped before he could stop himself.

The king looked guilty and explained. "I'm not sure if you're aware. Haelan never told me if you knew or not… Ever since you were a kid, I got your medical reports. I still get them. I have to know about your health for the sake of the kingdom. If something should ever happen—like Prince Esker's situation, for example—I would have to name another heir, as much as I would hate that." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Like I was saying, I know about all of your visits to Haelan's office." He stared at his son and said softly, "I know about your latest visit…with Teela. I know she underwent the test of purity and passed. Haelan mentioned that you said some people were questioning Teela's pureness. I'm curious as to who those individuals were."

Adam knew he couldn't just name people from court, because he wasn't sure if his father would actually go and question those individuals. "No one said it to our face," he answered, decisively, "but you know how rumors go around in court and no one knows who started it."

The king nodded. "Yes, I do. I'm sorry that you two felt the need to do that. I would not have made Teela go through with that test regardless of those rumors, just so you know."

Adam smiled genuinely at his father. "Yeah, I know. Teela and I discussed that, but it was something that she wanted to do, anyway."

Randor smiled. "She'll make a good princess."

Adam couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his face. That was the second time his father had made that observation. Paying attention to his work again, Adam read through the file and when he was finished and signed an order, he looked up at his father again. The king was staring at him intently. "Father?" he questioned.

Randor blushed in response and turned away, which made Adam raise an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Adam," he said slowly before looking at his son again. "My mind was a million miles away."

Adam asked curiously, "What were you thinking about?"

The king shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing to concern yourself with. I'm just thinking about the future: you, Teela, your marriage, my grandchildren." He grinned. "Wonderful things await you, my son. All you have to do is get through this courtship and your whole life will fall into place…"

Adam bit the inside of his cheek nervously. This was the perfect opening to tell his father that Teela and he were already married. His father and he were being so honest with one another and this conversation was going so well. He stared at his father and opened his mouth to speak, but the words got caught in his throat.

"Adam?" King Randor asked, finally catching his son's expression. "Are you all right?"

He stared at the king for a moment before stating softly, "Father, there's something I have to tell you…"


	45. The Confession

Teela's Visitor Chapter 45

"Father, there's something I have to tell you…"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He almost cringed when his father dropped his pen on the opened file he had been working on and gave Adam his undivided attention.

"What is it, son?" King Randor asked with a slight frown.

He could tell his father was aware that something was bothering him. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he mumbled, "There's no easy way to tell you. I…I know you're going to be angry."

This caused the king to raise his brow significantly, but he remained quiet, waiting for his son to continue. The only problem was Adam didn't know how to begin. He found that happening a lot recently. He cleared his throat several times, trying to get his mouth to work, but no words came.

He was surprised to eventually feel his father place his hand on his and give it a firm squeeze. "You can tell me anything, Adam," the king said softly; "You might be right and I might get mad, but you are my son and we'll work through whatever it is. Does this have something to do with Teela since that's what we were discussing?"

He nodded quickly as he looked at their joined hands. Eventually, he sighed and asked, "Can I start from the beginning?"

The king gave him a comforting smile and answered, "Yes, in fact, I would prefer it that way."

Leaning back, Adam rested in his chair. He looked at everything but his father while he tried to gather his thoughts and compile them in a way that would make sense. Eventually, he met King Randor's intense stare and said, "It all started when Teela and I…decided to be with one another. The Sorceress of Grayskull contacted me."

He was surprised to see his father flinch. That wasn't a reaction he had been expecting at all. Now, he was concerned. "Are you okay?" he questioned, leaning forward as he wondered why his father had reacted in such a way.

The king let out a shaky breath and replied, "Yes, I'm fine, Adam, and I'm sorry I stopped your story. It's just that...I know that the Sorceress is a good woman. She's on our side against Skeletor, after all. I would never fault her for this, but every time she has contacted a member of this family in the past, hard times shortly followed. It started with her warnings about the Horde invading Eternia and then Adora's kidnapping…

Adam suddenly realized that his father and he had even more in common than he realized. His father also knew and understood the worries that could occur when the Sorceress of Grayskull warned you about something. He knew this might help the king to understand his and Teela's actions. Feeling slightly more confident, he whispered, "Well, the Sorceress didn't have good news when she contacted me that day, either."

The king reached out and grabbed his son's hand again. "What did she tell you?"

Squeezing his father's hand lightly, thankful for the support, he replied, "She said for the last twenty years, she had been able to see my future. It had been a happy one, but when Teela and I decided to acknowledge our feelings, that future disappeared." He paused when he saw his father's face adorn a look of intense fear.

"What does that mean?" he asked abruptly. "Does that mean you have no future?"

Suddenly understanding the king's reaction, he tried his best to calm him. "No, Teela and I weren't sure about our relationship at that time, so the Sorceress couldn't get a clear reading of the future anymore. Once we decided to be together, she could see it once more, but it had indeed changed. The Sorceress implied that things were well. She didn't want to tell me too much about the future, though, so I could live my life without trying to make that future happen, if that makes any sense."

Randor nodded.

"Anyway, after the announcement of our courtship was made, several things occurred that threatened my relationship with Teela."

"Like what?"

Adam bit his lip. Now, he was getting into the heart of the matter, and soon he would have to do his big reveal: he would have to tell the king that he married Teela. He took another deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Remember that guy that was arrested on the day Teela and I toured the city?"

Randor nodded again.

"His name is Durriken. I saw him that day after he stole Teela's shoe. He had been speaking with King Moraius and Princess Janice."

Surprise flashed across the king's features. The widening of his eyes and the slight drop of his jaw was enough to tell Adam that the king was now concerned. Feeling ever more certain that his father just might understand his actions, he continued, "I'll admit I got a little paranoid after I had seen this. After all, I had heard what King Moraius and you had been talking about after court that day, remember?" He didn't wait for the king to respond. "I told myself during our outing that I was being ridiculous and I actually convinced myself that Durriken talking to King Moraius was a coincidence…but the Sorceress contacted me once more."

Adam watched as the king squeezed his eyes shut. When he reopened them, he asked, "What did she reveal this time?"

"She told me that Durriken had plans to interfere with my relationship with Teela. He had intentions that day of stealing Teela's shoe to cast some kind of spell to make Teela fall out of love with me." He suddenly stood and began to pace. "Duncan and He-Man also knew of this event and went to speak with Durriken. He told me…errr, Duncan that he had received visions for quite some time that I was supposed to be married to Janice and that together we did amazing things for Eternia, including saving Morainia from many hardships. Durriken insisted that they tell me what he said of the future that Teela and I changed. They did. That's when I knew that despite their trying to reason with Durriken, the threat of him using magic or some other means to destroy my relationship with Teela was still there. I couldn't bear it and Teela couldn't either, so…we decided to do something about it." Adam looked down at the floor. The moment of truth had come and he was actually afraid to meet King Randor's eyes.

The king got to his feet and walked around the table. He placed a hand on Adam's bicep and asked, "And, this is what you are scared to tell me? You're afraid to tell me what you've done to stop Durriken?"

Adam looked up and pulled his bottom lip into his mouth to run his tongue over it. His lips were suddenly very dry and he had no doubt it was due to his nervousness. "Yes," he admitted.

"What did you do?" At Adam's panicked look, the king moved his hand from his son's arm to his shoulder. "You can tell me anything, son. I won't promise that I won't get angry. You know me and if you think I'll get angry, I probably will… _but_ you are my son and I love you. I understand that whatever you've done, you've done out of love for Teela and fear of losing her. I get that. Now, tell me."

Adam held his father's gaze and whispered, "Teela and I…we—we got married yesterday." He watched his father's face intently for his reaction.

The king suddenly dropped his hand from his son's shoulder and grew very still for a moment. "What?" he asked eventually, shaking his head as if he were trying to wake himself up.

Breathing in to calm himself so he could trudge forward, Adam stated a little louder than the time before, "Teela and I eloped, Father. We're married."

The king closed his eyes and abruptly turned away. He then balled up his fist and tilted his head to the floor.

Adam saw this and felt unbelievable guilt and worry rush through him. "I'm sorry, Father," he cried; "I know you wanted Teela and me to have a normal courtship. I was actually looking forward to that, as well, but I didn't know what else to do. I refuse to lose Teela, and I thought this would be the best way to ensure that we would stay together."

The king lifted his head and Adam was pretty sure he had reopened his eyes, but the prince remained in his spot, waiting to hear what his father had to say.

"I assume you've already consummated your marriage," the king stated with what was undoubtedly suppressed anger.

"Yes," he whispered.

The king nodded his head and finally turned around to look at his son. Tears gathered in Adam's eyes at the huge look of disappointment he could see in his father's eyes. The king looked away again and mumbled, "I wish you had come to me, Adam." He shook his head and continued, "There are ways to handle these things without jumping to such extremes." He met Adam's gaze and asked, "Do you have any idea the repercussions this will cause? Everyone will question if Teela is pregnant…"

"That's why we got the test of purity!" Adam exclaimed.

King Randor narrowed his eyes and looked to the floor. "The populace will question why it was so sudden. They'll begin to speculate that maybe I didn't approve of Teela and you felt the need to run off behind my back. They'll also begin to wonder about your obedience to me and our laws. But more importantly, your mother and I were looking forward to…being a part of this courting journey with you." He threw his hands up in the air and stated loudly, "Your mother is going to be devastated! I know she would have liked to have been at your wedding! I assume Duncan wasn't there! He would have liked to give Teela away, undoubtedly!" He glared at Adam and continued, "I was supposed to marry you and Teela. I was supposed to give her the title of princess. I was actually looking forward to it, but you took that possibility away, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry," Adam stated sorrowfully. "I didn't mean to hurt any of you. It's just that I love Teela and I didn't want to lose her."

The king looked up at the ceiling and placed his hands on his hips. He seemed deep in thought.

"Father?" Adam questioned, walking towards him.

The king backed up and glared at him. "Just…just stay here and do your paperwork. I have to go and calm down before I address this with you. If I don't, I'm afraid I'll say something that I'll regret." He turned around hurriedly and slammed the door shut as he left.

Adam fell back into his seat and dropped his face into his hands as he hunched over the table slightly.

=)=)=)

Adam stayed in his office all afternoon and finished getting his paperwork done without his father's help. It was the least he could do since he had managed to fall short of all of his father's other recent expectations. When he finally filled out the last order, he leaned back in his seat and sighed.

His eyes were still full of tears that he refused to let fall. He had known telling his father would be difficult. He had known his father would get angry, but he had been unprepared for the profound disappointment he had seen. He hadn't thought that his father would actually name the ways in which he had hurt him, his mother, and Duncan with his actions. He had known the whole time what he was doing and he had been quite aware of the things he was preventing their parents from doing, such as Duncan walking Teela down the aisle. It's just that protecting his relationship with Teela seemed to outweigh everything else…

Standing up, he gathered the files and walked into the lobby of the royal offices. He walked to his secretary and dropped the files on her desk noisily. "These are ready to go out," he mumbled.

"Yes, Your Highness," she replied sympathetically. Undoubtedly, she had seen his father fly furiously from his office earlier. She knew they had gotten into an argument.

" _And, as usual, it's always my fault_ ," he thought. He felt guilty and he even felt sorry, but he didn't regret his actions.

Walking away from the secretary and into the main corridor, he made his way to his bedchambers. He didn't know where else to go, especially since he was pretty sure Duncan wasn't back yet. He knew Man-at-Arms would find him when he got back from Castle Grayskull.

When he walked into his room, he headed straight for the bed, dropped onto it, and buried his face in the pillows.

=)=)=)

 


	46. Randor's Solution

Teela's Visitor Chapter 46

How can one action bring so much happiness and pain at the exact same time?

It was a conundrum that Adam found himself contemplating as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling. When he married Teela, he had considered himself the happiest and luckiest man on all of Eternia. He still felt that way—he didn't regret marrying Teela for a second. But, he did feel badly about how their parents must feel. His mind kept giving him different scenarios of how his mother must have felt when King Randor had broken the news to her, and none of them were good. Adam had no doubt in his mind that his father had gone straight to her after he had stormed out of his office earlier. After all, his mother was the one person besides Man-at-Arms that the king turned to when he needed advice or someone to vent to. With Duncan at Castle Grayskull, his mother was the only person left on the list.

Rubbing the upper portion of his closed eyes, he tried to relieve the stress that was building in his head, but it didn't do any good.

"Are you all right?"

If he hadn't recognized the voice right away, he would have jumped out of his skin. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to look at his wife. She was standing in the threshold of his room with the door wide open. She looked concerned, and at that moment, he knew she had no idea what he had done.

He nodded softly and scooted up in bed. "I'm okay," he answered. "Come in and shut the door."

Quickly, Teela did as she was told and locked the door. "Is there any news?" she guessed as she approached her husband. Adam knew she was probably referring to her father's trip to Castle Grayskull, but he gave an honest answer to her literal question. She needed to know the truth as soon as possible, so she wouldn't be blindsided if his father or mother decided to confront her when he wasn't around.

"Yes, I told my father about  _us._ " He watched as Teela's eyes widened. Without giving her a moment to guess, he continued, "I told him that we're married."

Instantly, Teela flopped on the bed and gaped at him. He couldn't blame her for her reaction; they had never really discussed when or how they would tell his parents. More important things had kept coming up, so he knew she hadn't expected it to happen just yet. Despite her shock, she calmly reached a hand out to grab one of his. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she asked, "How did it go?" She looked genuinely worried.

Sighing, he replied, "I don't even know. He was understandably upset. He said he needed time to cool down and I haven't seen him since. He's disappointed that Duncan, Mother, and he have been denied their roles in our courtship." He met Teela's gaze intensely. "I knew Father wanted us to go by the book, but I had no idea that he would feel so…betrayed? Let down? I don't know. I expected anger…not this." He shook his head.

Teela scooted closer to her husband and wrapped her arms around him. "So, I ask again: are you all right?"

He pulled back slightly so he could look at her and whispered, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm a lot better than I was now that you're here."

She grinned and leaned forward so their lips could meet briefly. Just as they pulled away from one another, a soft knock was heard at the door. The couple turned to it and stared at it warily. "Your parents or my father?" she questioned.

He shrugged and went to the door slowly. "Only one way to find out," he mumbled. He unlocked and pulled it open. Immediately, his heart jumped into his throat—it was King Randor.

=)=)=)

The silence that pervaded the prince's room was almost unbearable. Adam remained staring at the floor as he sat beside his wife, clutching her hand for support. He glanced over at her and saw that she looked as nervous as he felt. Squeezing her hand in reassurance, he took a deep breath and looked up at the king. His father seemed to be studying them and as soon as the prince's eyes locked on to his, Randor spoke to him.

"I'm sorry that I walked out on you earlier, son," he stated. "I do realize that wasn't a good way to leave things, but…"

"I understand," Adam interrupted, trying to soothe away any guilt his father might be feeling. Everything that had happened earlier was his fault, so he refused to let the king take any of the blame in what was transpiring now. "You have every right to be upset and I can only be grateful that you did walk out and spare my feelings…even though I probably deserve whatever you would have said."

The king sighed as he stared at the ceiling for a moment. He placed his fists on his hips as he so often did when lecturing Adam and replied, "Well, I might be angry and you might very well be wary of me right now, but we can't act like this at dinner tonight or everyone in the palace will know something is wrong."

"Huh?" That wasn't the response that the prince had been expecting at all. He watched in befuddlement as the king nodded at him insistently.

"I've thought all afternoon about how we're going to fix this," Randor revealed. He smiled at Teela for a moment and inquired, "How many people know that you're married?"

Teela and Adam stared at each other. He knew she was counting in her head as quickly as he was. They both gave the answer simultaneously: "Ten."

"And, that's it?" Randor asked; "Are you sure?"

Adam nodded. He couldn't answer aloud, because so many questions were bombarding his mind at that moment. He wasn't at all sure why the king was asking how many people knew about their marriage, but he hoped it wasn't because he was planning on annulling it. "Father," he said hesitantly, getting prepared to ask exactly that, but his father cut him off.

"Name the individuals."

Teela opened her mouth to do as the king had requested, but Adam squeezed her hand tightly. When she turned to look at him in surprise, he shook his head lightly before turning back to his father. "Why do you want to know?" he asked softly.

"What?" King Randor asked. He was clearly confused.

Adam straightened his shoulders rigidly and declared firmly, "Teela and I are staying together, Father. I love her and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that we stay together and that our marriage stays intact."

The king upturned his lips a little and replied, "That's good to know, Adam. I figured you felt that way the whole time, though."

He let out a breath slowly and asked, "So, you're not going to annul our marriage?"

The king lifted his brow and exclaimed, "Of course not! Whatever gave you that idea? Regardless of my disappointment in your actions, I'm still quite aware that you love one another and I don't want to ruin that for you. Besides, you've already…" He cleared his throat. "My objective right now is to merely control the outcome to all of this."

"How?" Teela and Adam asked simultaneously.

The king shrugged and said, "It's easy. We're simply not going to tell anyone about your marriage. You two are going to continue to court as you should have done and no one will be none the wiser." He paused to let his words sink in, because he could undoubtedly tell that they were shocked. "That's why I need to know who knows, so I can order them to remain quiet."

Adam cleared his throat and answered, "Daniel from the Worship Center of the Ancients, Orko, Cringer, Man-at-Arms, the Sorceress, Ileena, King Moraius, Princess Janice, Prince Esker, and Durriken. I believe that's it."

The king nodded and then said softly, "There's going to be one more if the others have remained silent thus far—you're going to have to tell your mother, Adam."

The prince gawped at him. "You didn't tell her?"

Randor folded his arms behind his back and lifted his chin. "No, I thought that should be your job. You're the one who has to take responsibility for your actions. Yes, I'm arranging things where there won't be as much fallout, but for the ones that are unavoidable, you're going to be the one who deals with it."

Adam nodded. He sat silently for a few moments, barely believing what his father had suggested. Eventually, though, he glanced over at Teela before shaking his head. "It isn't going to work," he said to her. She widened her eyes in shock, and Adam turned back to his father to exclaim, "Father, Teela is my wife! I don't think…No, I  _know_  I can't go back to treating her as a mere girlfriend. We're…" He coughed as his skin reddened. "I don't want to spend any more time apart than we have to and to go back to…" He shook his head again.

King Randor actually laughed loudly at his son. He wiped the tears from his eyes and said in amusement, "Oh, son, I'm quite aware that now that you've had…" The king paused and then cleared his throat. Adam immediately noticed that his father's complexion was reddening. "Let me rephrase that: I know that the two of you…now know each other…as husband and wife. I know that you won't want to go back to…not experiencing that."

Adam felt heat rushing to his cheeks, knowing that his father understood one of the reasons why he was objecting.

His father continued, "Before Teela had undergone the test of purity, Marlena and I believed you were already…acting as such, and we know for a fact that you…had sleepovers. So, just continue with that…if you know what I mean." He coughed again.

Adam and Teela turned to one another. When she started to grin at him, neither one could hold it in any longer. Their laughter rang throughout the room despite their embarrassment and King Randor quickly joined in. After several moments, Adam brought both hands to his face and rubbed it to try to pull himself together. When he finally quieted, King Randor smiled and said, "I'm going to establish a correspondence with the people you listed earlier to make sure your good news stays within this little group. I expect you both to be at dinner this afternoon, and since everyone who attends dinner already knows the big secret, you will tell the queen then. Understood?"

Adam and Teela could do nothing else but comply and submit to the king's wishes.

=)=)=)

Within the hour, Adam and Teela found themselves walking in the courtyard. Neither had been able to remain in Adam's bedchamber with the prospect of telling the queen what they had done consuming their thoughts. At the time, they had believed this activity would take their mind off of it, but Adam soon discovered that the fresh air only helped him to think about it and other undesirable topics even more.

Akin to what he had been doing earlier, he kept imagining how his mother would react when she heard the news. While his mind did supply some pleasant possibilities, the majority had ended horribly with his mother angry or crying. When he tried to get his mind off of that topic, his thoughts immediately turned to Duncan's visit to Castle Grayskull and whatever Durriken was doing at the moment.

Sighing, he realized he couldn't wait for this day to be over. He wanted nothing more than to go to bed and simply hold his wife in his arms.

"Everything's going to work out, Adam," Teela said as she purposely bumped into his side.

He smiled, knowing she was trying to make him feel better, but he also knew she meant it. "I know. I just can't help but worry."

She wrapped her arm around his as they continued to walk and asked softly, "Well, what can I do to get your mind off of things for a little while?"

He shrugged. He had no clue. After several moments of silence, Teela mumbled, "What do you think about your father's plan of hiding our marriage from the people?"

Without hesitation, Adam spoke exactly what was on his mind. "I understand his reasoning," he replied. "There is a political aspect of the whole affair that he's trying to control. I suppose it's for the best…if you agree to it, that is. If you don't want to hide anything and you want the masses to know, I'll tell Father that we've decided to tell the everyone…"

Teela leaned her head against Adam's shoulder briefly. "No," she responded. "I am currently your wife, but I will eventually become the Princess of Eternia. I know that requires sacrifices sometimes, so I might as well get used to it. If King Randor thinks it's best that the people don't know then that's what we're going to do."

"Are you sure?" Adam asked concernedly. "This will have larger ramifications than you know. For example, our wedding day will be recorded in history on the incorrect day, not to mention the entire planet will celebrate it on the wrong day."

Teela smiled. "I don't care when the people celebrate our marriage. I think it actually works out better this way. Don't your parents always have to do a lot of ceremonies and such on their anniversary to make the people feel a part of the celebration?"

The prince nodded.

Her smile widened. "We won't have to go through that this way. We'll celebrate our anniversary together, privately, without worrying about the people…and then they'll have their time on whatever day the king decides to hold the actual ceremony."

"If he doesn't wait a year and make it the same day," he mumbled, suddenly liking her thinking on the whole affair.

She widened her eyes at the possibility and frowned. "We'll convince him not to," she stated determinedly.

Adam laughed and immediately pulled Teela into his arms. "You're amazing!" He then kissed her deeply as he ran his hands across her back. When Adam started to pull away, she brought her hands up and held his head in place. She kissed him again and he happily succumbed to her wishes. He pulled her against him tightly once more and wrapped his arms around her.

Only when they ran out of breath did Teela let go of his lips. She then rested her head on his shoulder and tightened her hold on him. "I love you," she whispered.

"And, I love you," he replied as he bent his head slightly and kissed the crown of her head. When he pulled back, he looked around to see if anyone else was in their vicinity. When he saw that they were completely alone, he whispered, "So, Teela, would you care to join me in the equipment room?"

She pulled away with a confused expression until she met his eyes. She suddenly grinned. "We should rename that," she mumbled in amusement.

He laughed loudly, knowing she was referring to the fact that every time they had gone into that room recently, they had found themselves in compromising situations. That room wasn't only for storing weapons anymore. He winked at her mischievously and began to pull her along with him. It was a matter of moments before they reached the location in question. He opened the door and kissed her deeply with his arms still around her as he pushed her inside. He then turned them abruptly so he could close the door by pressing her back against it.

The door shut with a sharp bang because of the intensity and speed of their movements, and Adam took that opportunity to slip his arms under her thighs to pick her up. Instantly, she wrapped her legs around his waist and they began to move against each other instinctively. Adam moved his kisses to her neck and her hands found their way to his fur-pants. When she began to push his clothes down, she suddenly stiffened and then froze.

Adam sensed more than saw her sudden reluctance. Worriedly, he pulled back a little and asked, "What's wrong?"

Teela swallowed nervously and whispered, "I just realized something. I…I want you right now, but we can't make love here." When he furrowed his brow questioningly, she explained, "Your father wants us to court. There's no telling how long he will want that period to last. If we make love without any protection, I might get pregnant. That would defeat the king's whole ruse, because we'd still have to break protocol to get married again faster than he would like." She paused as she bit her lip lightly. She met his gaze and questioned worriedly, "Adam, what if I'm already pregnant?"


	47. An Unexpected Turn of Events

Teela's Visitor Chapter 47

Adam stared at Teela as he continued to hold her firmly against the door. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist and he still held her up with his hands circling her thighs. He had wanted her desperately just a short moment ago, but her words and question abruptly dumped a large bucket of ice water over his head.

Teela might be pregnant.

Of course, he had known that, but the truth was with the excitement of his father's acceptance of their marriage and the plan to keep everything quiet, that knowledge had momentarily slipped his mind. As much as he hated to admit it, they might have very well ruined everything before it had even begun!

Sighing, Adam stepped away from the door to give Teela enough room to set her feet on the ground. He then watched as she stared at the floor. The room filled with an uncomfortable silence, so he instantly cupped her cheek and whispered her name. When she finally looked up at him, he could tell that she was very upset.

"It's okay," he said confidently. "I know what I'm about to say isn't going to help much, but if you're pregnant, then you are. There's nothing we can do to change that. But just so you know, I won't be angry or disappointed if you are. I still feel as I did before: if you are, that's great and if you're not, that's fine, too."

Teela ran her eyes over his face, almost as if she were trying to find any signs of deception. She must not have found any, because she quickly slipped her arms around his waist and clung to him. "What are we going to do?" she asked softly. "Do we tell the king of the possibility, yet?"

Adam rested his cheek on the crown of her head and rubbed his hands soothingly across her back. He thought about it for a few seconds and then shook his head. "No, we'll keep this to ourselves for now until we know for sure one way or the other. That way, if you're not pregnant, we won't cause any unneeded stress."

Teela nodded and immediately pulled away. She slid around him and walked farther into the supply room. She paused in the middle and placed her hands on her hips as she stared up at the ceiling. Eventually, she spoke. "Adam…honestly, do you think we might have made a mistake?"

He leaned against the door and stared at her back warily. Folding his arms across his chest, he replied, "What do you mean?"

Finally, she turned around to look at him. Her face was slightly red, but she appeared to be calm and collected. He knew it was a huge façade and his heart jumped into his throat at the knowledge. "We're having all these problems," she said softly. "It's not stopping. It's just one constant thing after another. Do you think all these bad occurrences are a sign that…"

Before she could get another syllable out, Adam rushed across the room and pulled her to him. "Don't talk like that!" he said frantically. He felt like he could hardly breathe. "I can't lose you, Teela! I won't even contemplate the notion that we shouldn't be together! I love you and I know I would never be happy with anyone else!"

He felt Teela slip her arms around his waist. She literally clung to him as she exclaimed, "But you would have been! The Sorceress said you would have been happy with Janice!"

Adam pulled away with a look of determination on his face. He stared her directly in the eye and stated firmly, "After we made our choice to be together and the Sorceress could see the future again, she told me that we were both happier in the new future than we were before, at least in that particular moment. It was before we knew of Morgoth." He frowned as he grabbed her hand and continued, "Teela, right now I know I'm the luckiest man on the planet. You love me and you're my wife. I couldn't ask for more…well, besides A.J., of course. Sure, in the old future I might have been happy, but I know I settled when I married Janice. I wouldn't have been truly happy! I've always loved you, and now that I know you love me, too, there's no way I can go back to that! Don't have any doubts in us, Teela—that would kill me!" He leaned down and kissed her chastely. When he pulled back, he suddenly smiled and whispered, "You know, in all the stories we have ever heard throughout Eternia, and even from my mother's planet, when has true love ever run smoothly?"

Startled, Teela lifted her brow.

With his smile widening into a grin, he explained. "In all those stories, the lovers have the most dreadful times in the beginning! People try to tear them apart in various ways for many different reasons! Maybe we should look at these stories and learn to have a little patience! We have the real thing here, Teela, so why wouldn't our story be filled with just as much trials as those in the beginning? Just keep faith that it will eventually work out and calm down just like the others did!"

Teela smiled at Adam and when she opened her mouth to respond to him, they were surprised to see members of the Guard rushing into the room from the courtyard and palace doors. The couple was surrounded in a matter of seconds as the soldiers frantically grabbed different weapons. Immediately, Adam called out, "What's going on?"

As the Guard continued to arm themselves, one soldier answered, "The palace is under attack! Skeletor and his henchmen are just outside. They've brought a dragon with them and they're threatening to burn Eternos down if King Randor doesn't give up the throne!"

Adam immediately turned to Teela, who was arming herself, as well. He whispered rapidly, "I have to go…help." When she nodded, he ran from the room to find a spot to transform into He-Man.

=)=)=)

When Adam stepped into the corridor, he saw that it was just as frantic there as it was inside the supply room. Courtiers, maids, and guards alike were running. He saw out a nearby window that Skeletor and his minions had broken inside the courtyard and the dragon was using its tail to bang against the palace walls roughly. He knew if he didn't do something soon, the dragon might bring the whole palace down around them. So, he ran as fast as he could to the first room that didn't have anyone inside it. He grabbed the Sword of Power from behind his back and held it into the air.

Unfortunately, just as he began to say the words that would change him into Eternia's Champion, the sword flew from his hands because the room shook severely. It felt almost like a seismic wave, but a nearby yell from the dragon told him that the beast and its fury had merely gotten closer to his location. Scurrying across the room, Adam grabbed his sword once more. He straightened his back and was on the verge of lifting his sword again, when he heard a terrible bang.

There was nothing he could do! Simultaneously with the boom, Adam heard what sounded like walls crumbling and just as large pieces of rock and wood were falling down around him, he realized it was the ceiling. Within a matter of seconds, Adam felt an impact on the top of his head and everything went dark…

_Adam held a hand to his temple as a sharp pain spread through his head. At first he felt a little dazed, but as he opened his eyes and stared down at his lap, he remembered what had happened. Skeletor had attacked the palace with a dragon and pieces of the roof had fallen on top of him._

_Because he didn't hear anything now, he assumed the battle was over. He lifted his head and was surprised to find that he was sitting in a chair in his bedchambers. He wasn't alone. Across the room, standing around his bed, was his parents, Teela, Man-at-Arms, Haelan, and various nurses. "Hey, what's going on?" he called out to them, but they didn't answer._

_Slowly, the prince got to his feet and stumbled across the room. When he reached the bed, he immediately sucked in a sharp breath. He was staring at himself! He saw that the other Adam was sound asleep with no signs of waking up, despite the fact that Teela was sitting beside him, grasping his hand tightly, and calling his name._

" _He sustained a powerful hit to his head," he heard Haelan tell the king. "I know he has a concussion and he's currently in a coma, but beyond that, I don't know anything. I don't know why he's like this or how long it's going to last."_

_Adam watched worriedly as tears slipped silently down Teela's cheeks._

_King Randor grasped her shoulder and said confidently, "Adam's strong. He's going to be fine, Captain, but right now, we have a kingdom to protect. Skeletor gave us one hour to see to Adam before I have to give him my answer." The king stared down at his son and continued, "That time is nearly up."_

_Almost as if Skeletor were eavesdropping on their conversation, the villain suddenly appeared in the room with Durriken at his side. Adam gasped and looked back at Teela to gage her reaction. She widened her eyes and sprung from the bed. "You!" she exclaimed. "You did this!" Instantly, Teela grabbed the Sword of Power which was sitting across the nightstand and started to make her way around the king and queen to confront their visitors._

_As soon as she stepped clear of the Royal Couple, Skeletor cried, "I don't think so, Captain!" Immediately, he shot out a beam from his Havoc Staff, and because she hadn't been expecting it, it hit her. Instantly, she fell to the ground._

" _Teela!" Adam exclaimed, as did everyone else. They rushed to her side as she clutched her stomach and tried to catch her breath._

_As Man-at-Arms and King Randor knelt at her side to help her up, Skeletor spat, "Well, King Randor, I allowed you time to take care of your son and think about my offer. What is it going to be?"_

_At that moment, all Adam could do was pay attention to Teela. As she stood, he couldn't help but notice that blood was running down his wife's legs! He blinked rapidly and looked at everyone else. No one seemed to notice, not even Teela, and he didn't know what to think or do about it! He had already figured out that these events were happening mere hours after Skeletor's attack, so he didn't understand why Teela would be bleeding like that. Even if she were pregnant, a miscarriage this early, within days of the fertilization, would not cause this amount of blood…_

_Unless, it was a sign. Teela clearly didn't feel the blood, so it was likely that it wasn't there. This was a message to him…_

"Teela," Adam said, trying to shake his head. He heard sounds of freeze rays, guns, and people yelling around him. He tried to open his eyes but found that it was nearly impossible. He could tell that he was about to lose consciousness again, but he fought against it. He knew if he did, he very likely wouldn't wake up until after what he had seen in his vision—he knew that's what it was—had come to pass.

Even though it caused an extensive amount of painful shocks shooting across his head, he forced himself to open his eyes. "Teela," he bellowed again.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps and he heard a voice that he didn't quite recognize gasp, "Prince Adam? It's Prince Adam! Tell the captain and the king! Hurry!" Immediately, a soldier rushed to his side and began to pick the debris off of him and ask questions. "Are you all right, Your Highness? Is there something I can do for you?"

Adam remained quiet. He simply stared at the door, waiting desperately for his wife to show up. Within minutes, Teela ran inside the room with his parents, Duncan, Orko, and Cringer close behind her. "Adam!" she exclaimed, bending down beside him.

He grabbed her hand and held it tightly. He had every intention of keeping her there with him. His eyes met Man-at-Arms and he said without any greeting, "You must win now at all cost. Don't make any deals with him, even if it is to help me."

Duncan widened his eyes in surprise.

"Promise me," the prince insisted.

"I promise," he mumbled.

"Now go!"

Immediately, Duncan ran from the room despite his obvious bewilderment at the prince's words.

Then, Adam turned his attention to Teela. "And, _you_ stay with me," he whispered, continuing to clutch her hand.

"Son, are you all right?" he heard his father ask him worriedly.

He kept his eyes on Teela but replied, "Yeah, I'll be fine." Slowly, Adam forced himself to sit up. He felt a little dizzy, but he quickly braced his arms behind him as Teela slipped an arm around his back.

"Are you sure?" she questioned anxiously as the queen yelled to a guard to bring Haelan.

"Yes," he replied softly. "I'm okay, but there are some things I have tell you as soon as I can."

A moment presented itself.

Soon, they heard loud explosions and the dragon scream in what sounded like fear. Adam took that opportunity to whisper while everyone else in the room was distracted, "I think you're pregnant."


	48. The Question of A.J. Answered

Teela's Visitor Chapter 48

Adam could barely keep his eyes open. The strain of staying conscious was literally causing his head to pound incessantly, but he knew he needed to warn Teela of the possible dangers she might face very soon. Fortunately, Queen Marlena, Orko, and Cringer had run to the doorway to watch as the guards, who had been inside the room, went out to help with whatever was going on outside. They wouldn't hear the news. King Randor, on the other hand, watched the guards leave but chose to stay near his son. He knew the king would hear what he had to say next, because he couldn't afford to take the time to whisper or figure out a way to say it without revealing too much. He could feel himself slipping into darkness once more—the borders of his vision were clouding over—so he needed to tell her now.

"How do you know?" he heard Teela ask.

At that moment, he saw his father pay attention. Regardless, he spoke the truth. "A vision," he answered. Teela immediately opened her mouth, but he quickly interrupted her. "I don't have time, Teela. I'm about to pass out again."

"What?" she exclaimed frantically and the king echoed her.

"Just listen! I don't know why or how, but Durriken is with Skeletor! Don't attack him! Do not engage Skeletor in any way! If you do, you'll lose A.J.!"

Teela gripped his hand tighter and began to speak, but he could no longer hear what she was saying. He allowed sleep to claim him once more.

=)=)=)

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Adam opened his eyes to a familiar sight—familiar, because it seemed to be of the very vision he had before except he actually was in the bed now instead of looking at a future version of himself. Teela was sitting beside him, holding his hand, and his family and friends surrounded the bed. Haelan had just begun to speak when he had opened his eyes: "He sustained a powerful hit to his head. I know he has a concussion and…"

"HEY!" Teela's exclamation interrupted the doctor.

Everyone's eyes centered on Adam and he smiled in response. "Hey," he said a little groggily. He looked over at the spot where Skeletor would appear if Man-at-Arms hadn't been able to change the outcome during the battle earlier. He turned his gaze to Duncan slowly and, getting down to business promptly, asked, "Skeletor's not going to show up any second now, is he?"

Duncan walked around to the other side of the bed and grabbed his hand. "No, my prince told me to make sure we won at all cost, so I made sure Skeletor had no way to get the upper hand. I'm afraid we have quite a bit of repairs outside to undergo because of that, though."

The prince lifted a brow questioningly at that, but Haelan interrupted snappishly. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt this little catch-up on events, but I'd like to have a look at my patient and have him answer _my_ questions, if everyone doesn't mind. Excuse me, Teela; I need you to move!"

Reluctantly, Teela got out of the way as Adam settled an icy stare on the doctor. His father must have known he was about to take the doctor to task for talking to Teela in such a way, because the king suddenly moved to the head of the bed and squeezed the prince's shoulder. "Haelan just wants to make sure you're okay, son. We've all been worried." After a pause, he added abruptly, "Besides, you still have to give that speech we talked about earlier and I want to make sure you're able to handle that if things go…awry—"

Adam widened his eyes in surprise. He knew his father had added that little tidbit to get his mind off of berating Haelan, but he also knew the king meant it. "You mean, she still doesn't…"

King Randor smiled as everyone else looked at them questioningly. With a wink, the king asked in amusement, "What? Did you seriously believe a little bump on the head would get you out of your responsibilities? Nope."

The prince laughed in response but immediately regretted it when his head exploded as a result. "Urgh," he groaned, bringing a hand to his forehead.

The doctor leaned over the bed with a flashlight and said, "Okay, okay. Let me have a look. How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache," he answered truthfully.

Adam opened his eyes while Haelan flashed a light across them and then studied his pupils. "He definitely has a concussion, like I was saying before," the doctor informed them, "but I'm glad he's awake now. I was worried about that earlier." Haelan turned back to the prince and exclaimed, "You are lucky that those ceiling pieces weren't bigger, my prince. I know they packed a good wallop, but it could have been a lot worse."

"Oh, believe me," Adam said, meeting Teela's gaze, "I know." He was surprised to see Teela's eyes tear up. She was not a person who easily cried, so he didn't understand why this incident would affect her in such a way. He had plans to ask everyone to leave his bedchamber so he could talk to his wife privately, but Haelan continued to speak.

"I want you to take it easy over the next couple of days. No strenuous activity, no operating the Windraider or AttakTrak…just relax and get some sleep."

Adam smiled and quipped, "Ah, things that I do best." He was pleased when Teela smiled and gave him a little wink. He loved it that Teela could now share in his ruse when he said things like that. Now, she knew the Prince of Eternia most emphatically did _not_ love to take things easy and relax all the time. She knew it was to keep up appearances to maintain his secret.

Surprisingly, the king seemed pleased with his response, too. Adam figured his father must believe he wasn't too badly off if he could make jokes. "Will you be joining us for dinner tonight, son, or do you want it to be delivered this afternoon?"

He knew why the king was asking. "Yes, I'll be there, Father."

The king nodded approvingly and said, "Well, if you're okay, I guess the rest of us should leave and let you get some sleep, then."

"That would be great, though I would love for Teela to stay for a few minutes. I'd like to speak with her privately."

The king grinned and said, "Of course." To everyone else, he said, "Let's leave the two lovebirds alone."

Once everyone walked out and his door shut, Teela rolled her eyes. "Somehow, I think the king loves to pick on us about our relationship despite our secret wedding."

Adam smiled and said, "Oh, I figured that out rather quickly after we started courting. I think he was just as happy as we were when he was able to announce our courtship and have the ball." He paused and added softly, "You know, it's one step closer to another heir being lined up for the throne of Eternia. That's important to him…and me."

His wife sat back down on the bed and mumbled, "Speaking of that, I hope you know you put me in quite a pickle earlier. You spoke about A.J. right in front of him."

He sighed and said, "Well, it wasn't like I had much choice. I know you, Teela—if I didn't tell you of the danger, as soon as I passed out, you would have been out the door to help your father deal with that dragon. Then, when Durriken showed up with Skeletor, you would have tried to attack him. I don't want you to lose A.J."

She grabbed his hand and replied, "Well, we never saw Durriken, so I suppose Father changed whatever future you think you saw." She fumbled with his fingers a little and then asked softly, "Adam, are you sure? Are you sure what you saw was a vision and that I'm pregnant?"

"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I'm pretty confident," he answered.

She squeezed his fingers and whispered, "Well, I think we need to find out for sure. I mean, there are things I'll need to do and avoid if I am. Plus, we'll have to tell our parents…"

He nodded and said, "I'll try to get that answer now." When she raised a brow questioningly, he explained, "I'm going to talk to the Sorceress." Then, he stared off into the distance, so Teela knew to remain quiet.

" _Sorceress? Can you hear me?_ "

" _I hear you, Prince Adam. I am so pleased that you are awake and well_."

He blinked in surprise. " _You knew I was hurt?_ "

" _I was the one to send Duncan back to the palace. I received a vision of the attack and I knew He-Man hadn't shown up, so I assumed something had happened._ "

" _Good guess. Look, I have to ask you something, and I know you probably won't want to answer, but I need to know anyway. It's of extreme importance._ "

" _Okay_."

Taking a deep mental breath, he asked, " _Is Teela pregnant_?"

" _Adam…_ "

He could already hear the chastisement in the Sorceress' voice. He knew her stance on telling him the future, so he knew he had to make her understand. He interrupted her. " _I received a vision while I was unconscious and I need to know if it's accurate. The vision showed me that if Teela had gotten involved today and attacked Skeletor and Durriken, she would have lost the baby."_

" _Durriken_?" she questioned in surprise.

" _Let's not focus on that right now. I need to know about Teela and A.J. first. I need to know if she's pregnant, because that is going to affect a lot in the immediate future. You've said in the past that you don't want to tell people the future because it will make people purposely try to go in that direction. Well, if she's pregnant, it's going to happen whether I know or not. It's already in the works if she is_."

There was a lengthy pause, but he knew the Sorceress was still connected with him. He could feel her weighing her options. Finally, he felt a mental sigh come from her.

" _Okay, I'll tell you_ ," she said calmly. " _Yes, Prince Adam, Teela is pregnant. I knew she was the first moment I saw her after the wedding_."

In the back of his mind, he had known that to be the case. He thought back to that meeting in Castle Grayskull. He had seen the Sorceress run her eyes down Teela's body and pause at her waist. He had suspected then, but he had convinced himself that maybe it was a coincidence or she had been merely checking perhaps, and really Teela wasn't.

Then, he thought of his contemplations that day as he had lain in bed with Teela. It turned out he did have reasons to give himself an " _Atta boy, Adam_!" for impregnating his wife the very first time they had made love!

He was startled out of his reverie when he felt the Sorceress laugh loudly. That's when he remembered the Sorceress was still connected with him and she had just been privy to the egotistical contemplations he had thought about that morning! "Oh, Ancients!" he exclaimed aloud in embarrassment. When he noticed Teela look at him nervously, he continued, "It's nothing to worry about." Then, he focused again and spoke to the Sorceress, " _Please, Sorceress, forget I even thought that!_ " He could still feel her chuckling.

" _Oh, Prince Adam, it is quite all right_ ," she assured him. " _You are not the only man to have thoughts like that at such times_."

He blushed. _"Yeah, well, I'm not the type of guy to equate my manhood and prowess with….with…that._ "

She still sought to assure him. " _I know that, Adam. I do not think any less of you. I know how much you love my daughter and A.J. I also know it's not the ideal time for her to be pregnant, especially if Durriken succeeds in releasing Morgoth, but maybe this will be something to inspire us even more to prevent Durriken's plans to change the past. We wouldn't want to lose A.J. now, after all_."

" _No, we don't_ ," Adam agreed firmly.

" _Well, we need to talk about the rest of your vision later, especially the part concerning Skeletor and Durriken, but I know you want to share the good news with Teela_."

He smiled as he glanced at her and said, " _Yes, I do, and yes, we'll talk in the very near future. The sooner the better. Thank you, Sorceress_."

" _No, thank you for making me a grandmother, Prince Adam_."

He felt the Sorceress' presence rescind and his smile turned into a full-fledged grin.

"I'm pregnant, aren't I?" Teela asked with a straight face.

He stared at her worriedly for a moment until he saw a twitch at the corner of her mouth. He knew then that she was trying to hold back her reaction. He sighed in relief. "Yes, you are!" he exclaimed. "I would jump out of this bed and twirl you around the room right now if I knew it wouldn't cause me any pain!" He chuckled.

Instantly, Teela hovered over his body and planted her lips firmly on his. With no time wasted at all, she sought admittance with her tongue and Adam complied happily. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close. They kissed until they were panting. Then, Teela asked, "When are we going to tell the king?"

He met her gaze and replied, "It might as well be tonight when we tell my mother the good news. Let's get everything out there." He fidgeted a little and continued, "He's definitely going to be surprised. He's thinking it's going to be Mother who is going to have the shock of the night. I think it's going to be him, instead."

"Do you think he's going to kill us?" she asked worriedly.

He shook his head. "No, you're carrying an heir to the throne. Now, 'if he will kill me' is another issue altogether."

She laughed and said, "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

He grinned and after a soft kiss to her lips, he said, "I know you will."

Teela ran her fingers through his hair and when dust and other things came off in her hand, she wrinkled her nose. "You need a bath!" she exclaimed.

He laughed when she showed him her hand. "Well, I did have a roof fall on top of me, you know."

She grinned. "Do you think you can make it to the bathroom?"

He nodded but then groaned afterward.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just don't need to move my head so quickly," he replied. Then, he smiled, more to comfort her and show that he was okay before asking, "Would you think less of me if I asked you to stay close when we walk, though?"

She hugged him and answered, "Not at all."

Taking his time, he sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed. Teela moved beside him and held his hand as they got up and made their way to his bathroom. Once they got in there, Teela flipped the lid down and made him sit on the toilet. "Stay there," she ordered. "You're not taking a shower, because I don't know how long you can stand with that concussion."

She walked over to his tub and turned it on. She busied herself grabbing soaps, oils, loofas, and other things that he didn't know he had from his cabinets.

"Where did all of that come from?" he asked.

"I brought it from my room that time you fell asleep in the tub and I decided to join you." He watched as she poured some of the contents from the bottles in the tub, and when the water got to an appropriate level, she turned on the jets unlike the last time.

With a sudden deep interest, he asked, "Are you going to join me this time, too?"

She smirked at him and then winked. "Well, _someone_ has to make sure you're clean and presentable tonight when we relay our big news to everyone!"

He grinned as she made her way back over to him, swaying her hips slightly. "Now, we have to get you out of those clothes," she announced.

Adam didn't readily agree like he suspected she wanted him to; instead, he replied, "I think we should get you out of yours first, since that will be the easiest." He immediately hit the release button for her armor and pulled it from her body. She didn't wait any time either. As soon as the metal was out of the way, she pushed the straps of her bodysuit about half way down her arms before Adam took over.

It was a matter of moments before Teela was gloriously naked. Adam raked his eyes up and down her body appreciatively. This was the first time he had seen her completely naked like this in the upright position. " _She's a work of art_ ," he thought to himself. Adam noticed that her breast were just the right size and had a nice fullness that allowed her to remain perky. Also, her muscles were well-maintained and held a perfect show and combination of strength and softness. She didn't go too far when working out. She was slim and muscular but not so much that it took away from her feminine beauty.

"Oh, Teela," he mumbled as he felt himself react to her body. He then brought his eyes to her lower abdomen, the place where A.J. currently resided. He smiled as he slipped his hands behind her back and pulled her to him lightly. He immediately placed his lips on her ribcage slightly under her breast and made a beeline for the area he had just been contemplating. Slowly, he kissed her abdomen softly and whispered just loudly enough for Teela to hear, "Hey, Little Man, it's your daddy. I can't wait to meet you and I'm so glad you're here with us. I want you to know that I'm going to try to be the best father that I can be. I already love you so much." He kissed her abdomen again.

When he looked up, he was surprised to see tears slipping down his wife's cheeks.

"Adam, you're going to be a great father. Any fool can see that," she whispered. She bent down on her knees so she could be level with him and kissed him passionately. She wrapped a hand around his neck to pull him to her closely while the other hand fumbled with the belt around his tunic. "And, I'm grateful for that," she added, "because…I don't know if I'll be a good mother or not, but I'm certainly going to try."

Adam remembered their short discussion on that topic after they had made love for the second time. She had stated that she used to get scared at that thought of being a mother since she had never had one. That was all she had shared and they had agreed to talk about it later since he had to go to Morainia to confront King Moraius. Unfortunately, they hadn't had the time since. "You're going to be a great mother," Adam said confidently. "I know that just by your heart and how well you take care of me. I have no doubts about it, Teela, so you shouldn't either."

She nodded and replied, "I'll try to remember that." She then coughed. It was obvious she wanted to change the topic for now. "Let's finish getting these clothes off!" She pulled his belt and tunic from around him. Slowly so she wouldn't jostle him too much, she removed his shirt. When they finally got to his pants, she said, "I believe you have to stand up for this."

Slowly, he stood and she whispered, "Put your hands on my shoulders. I don't want you falling over if you get dizzy."

He did as told as she hooked both fur-pants and tights in her fingers. She pulled them down slowly and smiled when his manhood popped out at her. "Well, someone is happy to see me," she joked with a laugh.

"Always," he stated with a blush as he stepped out of his shoes and clothes.

Teela immediately began to kiss up his body—up his right leg and over his stomach, chest, and neck. When their lips met, she held him tightly so he wouldn't fall. When she pulled away, she said, "Come, my husband." She began to pull him to the tub.

"Yes, please," he said with a loud laugh.

She turned around to face him with a shocked expression. "Now, Adam, I didn't know you had such a perverted mind!" She found herself laughing, as well.

He smiled as she helped him into the tub slowly. "Well, I am a man…but trust me, I'll only talk that way with you," he admitted.

"It better only be with me," she whispered as she settled in beside him. Then, unexpectedly, she grabbed a loofa, poured some liquid soap onto it, and began to wash her husband's arms.

Adam smiled as she went about this task with vigor. "Uh, Teela?"

"Hmm?"

"So…are we…so we're only taking a bath?" He gave her his best puppy dog look: he protruded his button lip slightly, nothing too over-the-top, and drooped his eyes at her.

She grinned and answered, "I told you that you needed a bath. Then, we're going to wash your hair."

He crossed his arms and pouted playfully.

The stance didn't last too long, because Teela added, "And, _then_ , we'll have a bit of fun."

Without hesitation, Adam grabbed the shampoo bottle and said, "You keep cleaning, I'll wash my hair and yours. That'll be quicker!"

Her laughter rang throughout the bathroom. Teela cleaned every inch of skin on both their bodies as he washed their hair. When they were through, Adam settled against the back of the tub again and asked, "So, what kind of fun did you have in mind?"

Teela rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. After several long moments, she replied, "Hmm, how about we pick up where we left off the last time we were here?"

Adam thought back to that time and widened his eyes when he remembered Teela's actions that day. A blush came to his cheeks as he recalled how aggressively she had suggested that they try to make A.J. a reality. "Oh," he stuttered. "Uh, that would be…nice."

"Just nice?"

"Fantastic," he then stated firmly. "Only," he placed his hands on her abdomen, "are you up to it?"

"It won't hurt the baby, Adam."

"I know. I just want to make sure you're comfortable with everything and…"

"Oh, I'm very comfortable." She sat up and then slipped her right leg over his hips like she had done that day. "I'm more concerned about whether you are since you're the one with a concussion."

"I think I'll be okay. Like this, I think you'll be the one doing the strenuous work that the doctor told me to stay away from."

She laughed heartily and whispered, "Oh, you're probably right there."

Adam closed his eyes briefly as he thought about Teela taking him and leading the encounter. He felt a profound heat shoot throughout his body that didn't fade. As Teela kissed him, pressing her lips to his firmly, he slipped his hands around her waist and held her tightly. When their lips moved apart, she grinned devilishly and commented, "I guess we don't have to worry about that protection now!"

He laughed and agreed, "No, we don't." Without warning, he moved forward and brought his lips to his wife's breasts. He kissed his way to the peak of her left breast and took it into his mouth gently. Sucking thoroughly and jabbing her with his tongue, she moaned loudly.

"Adam," she said as light as air.

He grinned as he moved his attention to her right breast. As he did this, his hand travelled between her legs and began to move against her.

Almost instantly, Teela shoved her tongue into his mouth and used her hips to follow his motions. He slipped his other hand around her lower back, just above her posterior and held her tightly. "Ancients, Teela, I want you," he said as he watched her expression glaze over a little as she moved faster against his hand. Then, her body stiffened and she called out his name as she crashed against him several times, splashing the water a little.

When she finally collapsed onto him, he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her neck. "You are so beautiful, Teela," he whispered. "I love watching you like that." As he rubbed his hands up and down her back soothingly, she pushed back against him once she caught her breath.

"Want to see it again?" she asked with a smile and the narrowing of her eyes. She looked very provocative like that.

"Yes," he answered.

"I want to see you, too," she mumbled. At that moment, she did what she had done the first night they had shared a tub. She grabbed his manhood, and he wasn't surprised at her actions this time. She moved her hand up and down his length several times before she moaned. "Are you sure you can handle this with your concussion?"

"Yes," he gasped. "Teela, I'm so…" He paused as Teela looked at him with interest. His cheeks reddened and she grinned.

"You're so what?"

"I'm so...you know, I want you badly. I think even if it does make me feel a little dizzy, it would be worth it," he finally answered.

She squeezed him with her hand and he moaned. "Then, let's do it," she replied. Using one hand on his shoulder to steady herself, she held him still and lowered herself onto him slowly. She gasped several times on the journey downward until she was able to rest her bottom against his legs completely.

Adam had his eyes closed, clearly in ecstasy, but he was knowledgeable enough to ask, "Are you okay?" He heard the gasps and hadn't known how to interpret them.

"This is our first time in this position," she whispered. "I…had to adjust to it."

He opened his eyes, but before he could question her, she brought a finger to his lips.

"It's a good thing," she added.

Slowly, she rotated her hips a little, which made them both moan. After about a minute of doing this, Teela placed one hand on his shoulder and lifted herself off of him. Adam immediately placed his hands on her posterior to help her. She came back down on him over and over again, so deeply and quickly that water actually splashed onto the floor sometimes. Neither cared.

"Teela," Adam gasped as he felt his body tightening. "Are you?"

"Yeah," she gasped and then she called out his name and moved faster against him.

He met her speed and even though it did make him feel a little woozy, he stayed with her every step of the way. When they finished, Teela lay against him, chest to chest. "Amazing," she commented softly.

"Yeah," he agreed kissing her temple as she rested against him.

After several more minutes of just lying there and Adam running his hands over her back, she suggested, "Perhaps we should get out of the tub and get ready for dinner. It's almost time and we have big news to share."

He met her lips and then asked, "Nervous?"

"Terrified," she admitted.

"Me, too." Regardless, he knew it had to be done. A.J. was on the way, so it was better to inform their parents sooner rather than later. He didn't know what to expect from his father. He knew part of the king would be happy that the people would be getting another heir to the throne. The king would know his line of the family would continue to rule and be alive for two more generations, at least. But, Adam also knew his father would be disappointed that they really wouldn't have the time to court as he would have liked them to. But, there was nothing they could do about that now…

"I love you, Adam," he heard Teela whisper.

He hugged her tightly and replied, "I love you _both_ , too."

He felt Teela kiss his shoulder lightly. Then, she surprised him with her next words. "Adam, why did you cry out 'Oh, Ancients' earlier when you were talking with the Sorceress?"

He turned beet red.


	49. Dinner Announcement

Teela's Visitor Chapter 49

Adam watched as Teela stood in front of his full body-length mirror and smoothed out the few wrinkles that had gathered at her waist. She sighed and closed her eyes briefly before saying aloud, "You know, soon I won't have to worry about smoothing out this dress while I can still wear it. A.J. will do it for me."

Adam smiled and walked over to her. He slipped his arms under hers from behind and placed his hands on her abdomen as she placed hers on his wrists. He, then, met her eyes in the mirror and replied, "I can't wait to see it."

She grinned at the image the mirror presented and said, "When I start showing, I think we should pose for a picture just like this. What do you think? It'll definitely show A.J. in future years that he was loved and wanted no matter what else happens."

He immediately frowned at her words. "I would love to pose for a picture like this…but what do you mean 'no matter what else happens'?"

Teela dropped her hands from his wrists and turned around slowly. He cupped his hands around her waist to allow her movements, and once they were facing each other, she said softly, "Remember, the future is so unpredictable. We know that now more than anybody." She stared at the floor and continued, "The possibility of my being the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull is still on the table, so I might not be here as he grows up…and the Ancients know I wonder if my mother wanted me since she gave me up. And, you're He-Man. Who knows what might happen there? I just want him to know that we loved and wanted him very much."

Adam kissed her temple lightly as he pulled her closer. "He will know, and Teela, you will see our son grow up. I'll make sure of it, I promise, even if you have to take over Castle Grayskull at some point. We'll find a way to make it work. You're my wife, remember? And, very soon you'll be the Princess of Eternia. There's no way that I would allow you to slip out of our lives."

He felt her nod as he continued to hold her and thoughts bombarded his mind. He was more than a little surprised at that moment. He had always known her mother was a sore topic for Teela. Since they were kids, she had wondered about her mother's identity, but now that they were having a child of their own, he could see just how much the Sorceress' choices had affected her daughter over the years. " _She wonders if she was loved and wanted_ ," he thought to himself. He held her tighter when he realized he knew the answer and yet he couldn't tell her. He could only reassure her constantly that _he_ loved and wanted her and A.J.

That's when he felt her tears on his neck. "Teela," he whispered softly, "everything will work out, I promise." He pulled back to look at her. Only a couple of tears had fallen, which was evident from the two small trails that had run down her face. He cupped her cheeks to wipe the reminiscence of her emotion away. He, then, bent down slightly to kiss her and rolled his eyes when she turned her head. "Teela," he whined. He knew why she had done that.

Finally, he got a response from her that countered all the gloominess they had suddenly found themselves drowning in: she giggled. She pulled out of his arms, smiled, and shook her finger at him. "You should know I meant what I said, Adam: until you tell me why you yelled out 'Oh, Ancients!', you, my dear prince, are not kissing these lips or anything else!"

He couldn't stop his response. He laughed. Despite the fact that he was frustrated that Teela got this form of blackmail in her mind, he was glad the ruse had brightened her spirits quickly. "Teela, that's hardly fair," he bemoaned.

She shrugged unconcernedly. "Fair or not, that's the way it is. You promised no more secrets!"

He sighed and admitted softly, "I told you! It's embarrassing, Teela! Truly, I'm already mortified enough as it is!"

She simply stared at him.

"Fine!" he said finally. "I'll tell you, but I'm going to be in the doghouse once you hear it either way, but maybe I'll get out of it quicker this way." He felt his cheeks get hot as he looked at her eyes for a mere second before focusing on his hands as he moved them together anxiously. "You see, uh, when I was talking with the Sorceress earlier, I sort of…forgot she was listening in on my thoughts and I thought of something…rather embarrassing."

"And, what was that?" she asked with a smile.

He could tell she was enjoying this so much. He couldn't wait until he got his revenge for this torture. He wouldn't do it now, but it would come when she least expected it… Blowing out a breath slowly, he admitted, "I was…congratulating myself." When she raised a single eyebrow, he explained, "The Sorceress said she knew you were pregnant after the first time we made love. I was…" He coughed a little, looked down, and continued, "…congratulating myself."

He could feel Teela's stare burning a hole through him, so he forced himself to look at her once more. Her jaw immediately dropped, but he could tell a smile was there, as well.

"ADAM!" she exclaimed.

"I knooooow," he dragged out, shaking his head. He felt his face get even hotter. "It was wrong and very chauvinistic of me. Do you understand now why I didn't want to tell you?"

Instead of answering, she laughed loudly.

"Teela!"

She smirked as she approached him, swaying her hips. "So, Prince Adam, you have a mighty big ego there. You think you're a master of the bedroom, huh?"

He didn't think it was possible to feel any worse, but now his face was aflame and he felt heat traveling throughout his body. Even his hands were redder than he ever remembered them being in his life. His embarrassment was shortly lived, however, when Teela suddenly cupped his backside with both hands and whispered, "I must admit you are pretty outstanding!"

Instantly, Adam moaned and their lips met in a kiss that lasted at least another minute: it had started out chastely at first, but then it heated up a little as Adam held her the same way she held him. They moved their lips together slowly and neither one wanted to pull away, but eventually he did. He glanced at his chronometer on the wall and took a deep breath to steady himself.

It was time.

=)=)=)

Walking down the corridors of the palace on their way to the dining room, they held hands tightly. Adam knew Teela had to be feeling as nervous as he did at that moment and he was feeling almost sick with anxiety. His stomach was tying in knots and sometimes it felt a little difficult to breathe.

He hardly knew what to expect that evening nor did he know _how_ he would make the big reveals. He supposed he should have talked that over with Teela earlier, but the truth was he felt better winging it. He had a feeling if he rehearsed what he was going to say, he'd feel even worse trying to remember it. No, this was the better option.

Within minutes, they walked into the dining room and both tried to act like everything was normal. As soon as the king saw them, however, he stood and made his way over to them. "Are you all right, Adam? You look rather pale, son," Randor observed, even though his smile looked rather knowing.

The prince shrugged and said, "Yeah, I'm fine, Father." Honestly, he didn't know why he looked so pale. Was it nerves or the fact that he was feeling a little off thanks to his concussion? He knew either reason could be possible.

Slowly, with Teela and his father on each side of him, they made their way around the table. Evidently, Teela had plans of taking Orko's seat again, but their little friend wasn't there yet to ask. Regardless, he pulled out the seat beside him and she sat down as gracefully as she could.

Within a matter of minutes, Cringer, Orko, and Man-at-Arms finally showed up. Without comment, Orko hovered over the seat next to Man-at-Arms, immediately accepting the fact that Teela was in his. Adam was grateful the Trollan wasn't offended. He had enough to deal with this night.

"So," the king said aloud, interrupting his son's thoughts, "anything interesting going on today?"

Adam didn't know if his father meant that to be an opening for him to tell his mother about their marriage, but Man-at-Arms immediately jumped in and began to talk about some tests on the rocks he had received from one of their moon colonies.

Adam took that opportunity to look at Teela and lean closer to her. "Are you ready?" he questioned softly.

She slipped her hand under the table and grabbed his. She squeezed it tightly and mumbled, "As ready as I'm going to be. When are you going to spring the news?"

As soon as he shrugged at her, the side doors opened and the kitchen staff immediately came in to the serve them their food. Adam released Teela's hand and took items from the staff to set in the middle of the table. Once everything was in its proper place, the staff left the room as quickly as they had arrived.

Adam, feeling more anxious as each moment passed, grabbed the food, and started helping himself. When he passed the bowls onto Teela and she began to fill her plate, he heard laughter coming from the king and queen.

The couple immediately looked up at them and Queen Marlena exclaimed, "My goodness, you two! Are you starving?"

Startled, Adam looked down at his plate and saw that he must have been on autopilot, because he had given himself enormous helpings of everything. When he looked over at Teela's plate, he saw that she had done the same. Blushing, he looked back at his mother and mumbled, "No, I'm not. Sorry, Mother. I don't know why I got so much. My mind was elsewhere, I guess."

The queen only smiled and replied, "Obviously."

The next few minutes were relatively quiet (aside from Orko zipping to the corner of the room to prepare for his magic show. He was going to use props this time). Everyone was filling their plates while Adam and Teela merely sat there. Once everyone else had received their helpings, they started to eat whereas Adam just sat there. Even Teela ate a little bit of hers, Adam noticed, but he couldn't bring himself to touch anything…not until he got the news out of the way.

His mother must have known something was wrong, because it wasn't long before he felt her hand slip onto his forearm. "Adam?" she questioned. "What's wrong? Is your head bothering you?"

He swallowed roughly and replied, "No, Mother. My head's fine."

"Then, why aren't you eating?"

He knew it was the perfect segue into the topic that they needed to discuss, but at that moment, he had a problem even forming words in his mind much less getting them to come out of his mouth.

Teela, however, must have sensed his dilemma, because she placed a hand on his back, rubbed it soothingly, and stated, "Adam and I have something to tell you, Your Majesty, and I think it's gotten Adam a little anxious."

Marlena's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Teela, but she quickly settled them back on Adam. "Is this true, son?" she asked.

He nodded and said softly, "It is."

"Well, what is it?" she questioned concernedly. "There's no reason to worry. You know you can tell me anything."

"I know," he whispered, looking at her sideways before looking down at his plate. Taking a deep breath, he decided he would just face this head on. It was the only way to do it. "Okay," he stated loudly. "I'm just going to tell you, Mother, since there isn't going to be an easier way."

She simply nodded.

He grabbed her hand and said softly, "Mom, to make a long story short, my relationship with Teela was being threatened recently. Courtiers from other kingdoms were trying to find ways to tear Teela and me apart."

He was surprised to feel his mother's hand tighten around his significantly. When he saw her expression, his jaw dropped. She looked absolutely irate! Her jaw locked firmly as she gritted her teeth and her eyes fairly glared at him intensely. "Who threatened your relationship, and how?" she snapped. She turned to her husband and stated firmly, "We will not put up with this, Randor. I will not have those people putting my son and future daughter-in-law through the nonsense they tried to put us through!"

Randor smiled softly and placed his hand on top of hers which wasn't joined with Adam's. "They won't," he answered confidently. "The news that Adam needs to share with you will verify that."

Instantly, she turned back to her son. Adam swallowed roughly and continued, "I don't know if Father is right. Hopefully, the courtiers won't bother me and Teela anymore, but because of their threats and actions, Teela and I did something that would farther complicate their plans to tear us apart. We made it nearly impossible for them to do so, in fact…or at least I hope."

Marlena widened her eyes and looked back and forth between her son and Teela. "Did you…?" she gasped.

He didn't know for sure what she was questioning, but he knew his mother wasn't naïve or dumb by any stretch of the imagination, so he knew she might have very well figured it out. So, he nodded. "Yes, Mother, Teela and I got married."

He held his breath and watched as a multitude of emotions crossed his mother's face: shock, sadness, relief, and happiness to name a few.

"Oh, my God!" the queen exclaimed. "You got married?" She immediately sprung out of her seat and made her way to the couple. "When?"

"Yesterday afternoon, right after Teela underwent the test of purity," he answered cautiously as he stood to face her. Teela did the same. "Mom, I'm so sorry. I know you have to be upset that we did this behind your back, but I didn't know what else to do. Father and you wanted Teela and me to court properly, so I knew what your answer would be if we asked to get married right away. I just didn't want to risk doing nothing. I love Teela and I just had to do whatever I could to make sure we stayed together."

Marlena immediately reached up a hand to cup her son's cheek. She stared into his eyes briefly before glancing over at Teela. "So, you're finally my daughter now?" she questioned with a smile.

Teela widened her eyes in surprise. "Uh…y-yes, I suppose," she stammered.

The queen immediately hugged her and said, "I knew since you were kids this day would come, though I must admit I thought I would have been there to witness it."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Adam mumbled again as the queen pulled back from the embrace and looked at her daughter-in-law.

"I'm sorry, too," Teela added.

"I didn't even get to welcome you to the family properly," Marlena said, "nor was I able to give you a stern speech about taking care of my baby!" She laughed when Teela gaped at her. "But we'll do that soon enough." She winked and then turned to look at the king. Adam was surprised to see that she looked more annoyed with his father than him. "And, I suppose you knew about this?" she questioned.

Even the king looked slightly taken aback. "Uh, no. I mean, I learned about it today and I insisted that Adam tell you the news himself."

She turned her attention back to her son and opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Adam hurried and spoke. "Uh, before you say anything else, I have a little more news to share. Uh, even Father doesn't know this. In fact, no one in this room does besides Teela and myself."

"More news?" he heard the king question. Randor made his way over to stand beside the queen. "What's this? What more could you possibly say or have done?"

Adam extended his hand to his wife and she immediately slipped her hand into his. Within a matter of seconds, she was standing tall beside him. "Mother, Father, Duncan…" He paused and licked his lips a little since they had grown dry.

"Adam," Randor said, showing a little annoyance at the delay.

Without a second more of hesitation, Adam simply stated, "Teela's pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

The reaction from everyone in the room aside from Teela and Adam was the same: "WHAT?"


	50. Teela's New Visitor Revealed

Teela's Visitor Chapter 50

Adam felt the tension in the room as everyone grew quiet and waited for him to repeat what he had said. His parents looked at him unblinkingly, almost in complete and utter shock. He truly believed that they thought they hadn't heard him correctly, and he knew it would be best to clear things up right away. "I said Teela's pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

Still, everyone was silent. He was surprised to see the confused looks that settled on Randor and Marlena's faces. Man-at-Arms actually looked a little angry. Cringer's eyes were as wide as saucers, and Orko…. He was flying to them at a high-rate of speed.

"A baby!" the jester cried. "Yippee! You're going to have a baby? You mean, I'm finally going to have someone to play with again!" He was flying around frantically, clapping, and shooting out all kinds of baby toys from his hat. "Is it a boy or a girl? What kind of things does a baby play with right away? A ball? A doll…."

While Adam appreciated Orko's enthusiasm at the news, he tuned the little Trollan and his questions out and focused more on their parents. They had yet to say anything. Eventually, though, the king laughed heartily and everyone in the room turned to look at him.

Randor shook his head in obvious amusement and said, "That's a good one, son! I almost thought you were serious for a moment!" He looked at Duncan and Marlena and pointed at Adam. "That's the way to drop a bombshell like that! State the news that might get people mad and then tell them even worse news so that when they realize you're lying, they're thanking the Ancients that it isn't true and forgetting about the initial problem!" He chuckled some more when he turned back to his son. "It won't work in this case, but it was a smart move and a nice try."

Adam glanced at Teela to gauge her reaction—she bit her lip worriedly as she stared right back at him. He could tell she was sad at the king's words. He furrowed his brow and turned to face his father. "Worse news?" he questioned seriously. "I happen to be _very_ serious, Father. Teela and I _are_ going to have a baby."

Randor paused and once again adorned a look of befuddlement.

The queen was the next person to speak. "Adam, I must admit I'm confused here. How can Teela be pregnant?"

Randor slipped an arm around his wife's waist and looked at his son sternly. "Did you convince Haelan to lie to me?" he questioned. Now, the king sounded angry.

"What?" Adam questioned, and the queen widened her eyes.

"Uh oh," they heard Cringer gasp as he crawled under the table. Orko floated back a piece and placed his hands worriedly on his scarf.

The king continued to glare at Adam and said, "You supposedly performed the test of purity yesterday. He told me she was a virgin. Now, you come in here the very next day and tell me she's pregnant? That's impossible, son! Either you're lying now or you got Haelan to lie for you! I can't believe him! I should fire him on the spot…"

"No!" Adam cried, rushing to his father. He grabbed his forearm and continued, "Haelan did not lie to you! Teela's…report was accurate."

"Then, explain to me how Teela can be pregnant, son! You can't have it both ways!"

"Actually, we can!" he insisted. He bit his lip and sighed dramatically. "Teela and I…consummated our marriage, as you know." When they still looked confused, he added, "I forgot to bring condoms with us. We didn't use any sort of contraceptive when we made love."

The king took a calming breath and then smiled. He placed his hand on the back of his son's neck and said, "I know you're new to making love to a woman."

"FATHER!" Adam exclaimed. He felt himself get beet red at the sudden turn in their discussion. He glanced over at Man-at-Arms and then Orko before looking back at the king. This was one discussion he most emphatically did not want to have in front of everyone and he didn't even know _why_ they were having it! He opened his mouth to say precisely that when the king cut him off.

"No, let me get this out, son," the king ordered. "I understand your worry. Teela and you have had unprotected sex, so she _might_ very well become pregnant, but just because you did this does not mean she absolutely _is_ pregnant. There is no guarantee. So, before you worry and continue to make this big announcement to everyone, let's just calm down and wait to see if it's true first. Hopefully, it will be another situation like I had with Marlena and you will have learned your lesson to…cover up until it's the appropriate time to have a child."

Adam didn't look away from his father nor did Randor remove his hand or walk away. They stared at each other for a moment as tears appeared in the prince's eyes.

"What's wrong now?" the king questioned. "I would think that you would be a little relieved! In all likelihood, Teela isn't pregnant and you two can keep up the appearances of a courting couple. Then, we'll have another wedding and no one will be none-the-wiser."

Marlena smiled and exclaimed, "Oh, Randor! That's a wonderful idea!"

He nodded happily until he looked back at his son. The boy was still frowning. "Adam?" he questioned.

"It would have been a wonderful idea," the prince said softly. "Unfortunately, the idea came too late. I do realize that my timing has put doubts into your mind about the validity of my words, but please believe me, Teela is carrying my child." He paused when he saw his father lower his brow determinedly. He knew the king was probably revving up to give another embarrassing speech about how babies develop, so he said the very words that would stop him cold: "The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull confirmed the fact that Teela is pregnant! We needed to know so we could come up with another game plan to handle the people's reaction to our marriage. Not to mention, we need to protect her since she is carrying the next heir to the throne."

He heard Teela huff at his words, but his mother distracted him.

Marlena suddenly brought a hand to her mouth and looked back and forth from Teela to Adam several times. "You're really having a baby?" she exclaimed. At their nods, she rushed to them and hugged them tightly simultaneously. "I can't believe it!" she cried. "My son is having a baby!"

As for the king, he merely watched the scene. Adam pulled back and moved to stand before him. "I'm sorry, Father. I truly wanted your plan to work. It seemed like the ideal solution to everything, but on the bright side, we know our family's legacy will continue for another generation."

Randor still stared ahead until he finally closed his eyes and whispered, "I gave you those condoms to avoid this."

"You gave them to me to avoid having a baby out of wedlock. Teela and I were married when we made love for the first time."

Randor opened his eyes and cried, "I gave you those condoms so you wouldn't have a baby at an inappropriate time! I never dreamed that you would want to have a child right away! I thought you knew that you were to use them even after marriage!"

"I did know, Father!" Adam explained. "It's just that we got married and had to consummate the marriage. I didn't want to risk you annulling our nuptials if we didn't, so we took the risk." He then pause and breathed deeply. "But, I refuse to regret my actions! I refuse to regret my child, so if you want to be mad, be mad, but it's not going to change anything! And, I will never apologize for bringing my child into this world! Yes, I'll apologize for ruining your plan, but this is my child we're talking about and he is more important to me than what the people think!"

"Or she," Marlena mumbled.

Adam didn't correct her. He had already stolen her right to see and participate in his marriage, so he wasn't going to take away any step she could have of the pregnancy process, too. His mother could discover the gender of the baby at a more natural time. He smiled softly at his mother and nodded.

Randor reached out and clasped his son's shoulder with his right hand. "Well said, son," he commented. He then wrapped his arms around the prince and hugged him tightly. "We'll work this out somehow," he then mumbled. "The people will have to learn of your marriage sooner than we planned and we'll definitely have to perform the crowning sooner than I had hoped, but…it's doable. I just need to think about it and do it the best possible way." He sighed and then pulled back to stare into his son's baby blue eyes. "I hope you know you're killing me."

Thinking about the fact that he was king at an early age in one of the visions, Adam shook his head rapidly and whispered, "Don't say that." He knew he sounded absolutely devastated, which was evident by the look of surprise and then concern that flittered across his father's features.

"It's just an expression, but I'll just say that you're giving me gray hairs quicker than I would have liked." He then laughed and said, "I didn't expect Teela to have a little royal visitor so soon, but trust me, I am happy to have a grandson or granddaughter on the way. I can't wait to meet him or her."

Adam and Teela smiled and said simultaneously, "We can't either."

=)=)=)

The sounds of the dining room doors closing startled the Royal Family. They looked around to see who had entered or left and discovered that Man-at-Arms was gone. Teela gasped and Adam motioned for her to stay. "I'll go after him," he stated.

He began to walk away and she called out after him, "He's my father, Adam."

When he turned and saw Teela heading towards him, he shook his head and said, "But you're pregnant, Teela. I don't want you getting stressed out and yelling right here in the beginning. You know how you are. Just let me talk to him first, please."

He watched his mom walk to Teela, wrap her hands around Teela's arms from behind, and rub them soothingly. "Go, Adam," the queen said. "I'll stay with Teela."

Adam left the room in time to hear the queen say, "So, Teela, tell me about the wedding."

The door closed shut and instantly he ran down the corridor towards Man-at-Arms' workshop. Within a matter of moments, he saw Duncan in the distance. "Man-at-Arms!" he yelled. "Wait up!"

The soldier turned around when he heard his prince's call. He had no other choice really, so he leaned against the wall and waited.

When Adam reached him, he asked, "Why did you leave? I know this comes as a shock, but you already knew it was a possibility…"

Duncan glared at him and then looked away with a soft shake of his head. "How long have you known?" he asked softly.

"Huh?"

Duncan turned back to him and asked again forcibly, "How long have you known that Teela's pregnant?" He pushed past Adam and started pacing. "We talked about this a little when we were on our way to Morainia. We talked about you not using protection when you consummated your marriage. Did you know Teela was pregnant then? If so, you should have told me. I thought that we were in this together, but now I see that you've been hiding things from me and now you're getting my daughter to do it, too."

Adam frowned sadly but then became suddenly angry. He refused to explode, but he did want to tell Man-at-Arms exactly what he thought. "How dare you be angry," he said softly. "First of all, even if I were hiding Teela's pregnancy from you at that time, how can you even question how I would be capable of such a thing? I seem to recall that you have been hiding things from me for the last two years concerning He-Man and his responsibilities! I also seem to recall you hiding Teela's true parentage from her! So, you don't have any right to act hurt! I thought we were in this together, too, and you _did_ lie to me about several things! But, just so you know, I didn't. When we had that discussion, I didn't know Teela was pregnant. I found out from the Sorceress this afternoon, after Skeletor and his dragon's attack!"

Duncan and Adam scrutinized one another intensely until the former let out a huge breath and said miserably, "I'm sorry, son. I was just so hurt when I realized you might have hid this from me." He brought a hand to his eyes and rubbed them slowly, almost as if he were fighting a headache that was developing there. "I just…Teela and you are growing up far too quickly recently. It's a lot to process. I still think of you as kids."

Adam smiled a little and sighed. "We've been adults for two years, Duncan. Not to mention, He-Man and Eternia's war with Skeletor has made both Teela and me grow up a lot faster than we would have otherwise. I know you know that."

Duncan nodded.

"But regardless, I love your daughter, and I love A.J. Because I do, I want his grandfather to be happy for us. We're family now officially!"

Man-at-Arms reached out and hugged him. "I'm still angry at your stupidity and impetuosity, but there are worse things that you could have done, I suppose."

Adam laughed a little and pulled back. "Come to eat dinner with us now?" he questioned.

The soldier nodded, motioned forward with his hands, and replied, "I guess. Lead the way."

=)=)=)

By the time, Man-at-Arms and Adam got back to the dining room, Teela had already informed Queen Marlena about their wedding as well as King Moraius' and Durriken's involvement in their decision to wed. Adam knew his wife must not have told his parents everything because they were calm and they certainly wouldn't be if they knew the full extent of the truth, especially with the possible return of Morgoth. Regardless, he was glad that Teela got some of the storytelling off of him and continued to listen to Teela's point-of-view of learning that she was pregnant.

Before they knew it, dinner was over. Everyone stood, but before anyone could step away from the table, King Randor announced, "I'm going to think about how we're going to handle this tonight. Hopefully, I'll have an answer by morning, but we'll see."

Adam immediately responded with concern, "Well, don't stay up all night worrying, Father. We have some time before Teela begins to show."

The king smiled at Teela and replied, "I know, but the sooner the better." He then looked back at his son and said, "In the morning, I'm also going to speak with the palace staff. I'm going to order that they clean the empty suite across from mine and your mother's. Teela and you need a bigger bedchambers than either one of your rooms since it's going to be for three people very soon."

Startled that the king was already thinking about all of these little details as well as the big ones, Adam stuttered, "Uh, uh, oh, okay."

Randor then nodded and said almost absentmindedly. "Also, I need for you to think of some places you would like to go to for your Royal Honeymoon."

"What?" the newlyweds gasped.

The king arched an eyebrow at them. "Why so surprised? Yes, your wedding has been highly irregular, and yes, we're going to have to perform another ceremony to at least crown Teela, if not have a wedding all over again, so you will be entitled to a vacation to get away from everyone and simply be together. "I assume you don't object."

"Of course not," Adam exclaimed. "I'm just surprised all of this is crossing your mind right now."

Randor shrugged. "That's my job, you know, as king. I have to think ahead and come up with the best possible plans or scenarios. Sorry that I have to approach your marriage that way, but then again, I approach everything that way. You'll learn to do the same, Adam, when you become king, trust me."


	51. Preparing for the Future

Teela's Visitor Chapter 51

Adam and Teela were the first to leave the dining room. When they left, King Randor had turned to the queen and started questioning where they had stored some things that he didn't name aloud. Adam didn't have any idea what his father was talking about, but the king looked rather excited as did Marlena as the door shut. Adam figured he'd find out soon enough, so he decided not to contemplate or worry about it.

Walking down the corridor silently, he glanced at his wife to see the soft smile on her face. He was happy to see it there and that the evening—while not perfect—had been bearable and had a positive outcome. That's all he could have asked for. When they had finally turned onto the Royal Hall and had traveled halfway down it, Adam paused and grabbed Teela's arm to make her stop, too.

When she turned to face him, he whispered, "I haven't been in there since I was a boy. Let's check it out."

She raised a brow and he grinned. He slid his hand down to hers, gripped it, and pulled her to the door across from his parents' bedchamber. He pushed it open and continued, "This will be our home soon."

Teela's expression immediately softened as they stepped foot over the threshold. After Adam shut the door and locked it behind them, he hit a button on a wall to turn on the overhead lights. The first thing that met their eyes was a short hall that led to a larger opening. Offering Teela his arm, they made their way to the room.

Sheets covered the furniture that was already there, but they could tell it was a large, spacious sitting room. Adam could almost see the future events that would happen there without his occasional visions: he knew this would more than likely be the room where A.J. would learn to walk. This would be the room where Teela and he would retire to when they wished to relax after a tiring day at court. This would be the room that A.J. and any other siblings he might have would destroy daily with toys and a rambunctious baby tiger that followed them everywhere they went.

Blinking rapidly to clear the moisture from his eyes before he turned to Teela, he whispered, "I can't wait until we move in here together."

She smiled and said, "Neither can I." She then pulled away from him to explore the room on her own and he leaned against the wall to simply watch her. The first thing she did was go to the couch and pull the cover from it. The furniture piece was of a deep burgundy color that almost matched the décor of his own bedchambers, so it wasn't a big surprise. This suite was always intended to be his when he finally married, so undoubtedly, his parents had tried to decorate it in a style in which they thought he would like.

He continued to watch as Teela ran her fingers over the back of it as she walked past to go to the balcony located directly in front of her. He followed her and leaned against the couch when she stopped at the terrace opening, laid a hand on the panel, and stared out into the early Eternian night. Since they were on the opposite side of the hall from their normal bedchambers, they didn't have a view of Eternos. Instead, it was of the valley behind it and several large mountains in the distance.

Not knowing what was running through that beautiful head of hers, he decided he would try to get her to talk to him. "Do you like it?" he questioned. "If you don't, we can change whatever you like. I'm sure Mother and Father decorated it a long time ago just to have furniture in here when I finally moved my own family into it."

She turned around with tears glistening in her eyes. "I love it," she whispered. "I'm sure A.J. will, too."

His smile widened and he replied, "Well, we're not finished looking around, yet." He walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist. "But, we don't have to do that now. I don't know about you, but I'm getting rather tired. It's been a long day."

"Yes, it has been." She stretched up as far as she could and kissed his lips lightly.

When they parted, he asked, "Your bedchambers or mine? I have no intention of sleeping apart from you tonight or ever again, my wife."

She smiled and answered, "Let's go to yours." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it briefly. "My place is with you and I'll follow you wherever you go."

The choice and her words were so symbolic that she once again almost brought tears to his eyes. Like he had been doing a lot recently, he found himself thanking the Ancients that they had found one another, and at that moment, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to make her happy for the rest of their lives. "I love you," he whispered, and when she repeated the words, he kissed her deeply, wrapping both arms around her waist and pulling her body against his tightly.

=)=)=)

The door to Adam's bedchambers opened with a sharp bang and Adam and Teela stumbled through the opening as they continued to kiss one another. He couldn't get enough of her and he could tell she felt the same way about him.

Without hesitation, Teela unbuckled his belt and slid it from his body. He grinned wickedly and commented, "Again, Teela? I think I might have created a monster."

She smirked at him and replied, "Oh, like you aren't loving it, my prince." With those words, she roughly pulled his tunic down his arms. Then, she aggressively yanked his t-shirt from his waistband. He couldn't help but laugh, and in response to her actions, he hurriedly slipped his arms around her back to unzip her dress. Within moments, her clothes were falling to the ground and gathering at their feet. She stepped out of it and then pushed his fur-pants and tights from his body.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked breathlessly as he stepped forward to untangle his feet from the apparel on the floor. "We've already made love several times today, and I don't want to cause you any pain."

She stared him in the eye and said, "I'm fine, Adam. Trust me, I'll tell you when I've had enough."

He grinned. "I don't doubt that for a second." Instantly, Adam grabbed her by the thighs and lifted her off the ground.

With a gasp, Teela wrapped her arms around his neck and slipped her legs around his waist.

Adam, then, walked to the door and pressed his wife's back against it firmly. Fumblingly, he locked the door as he ran his lips across her chin and then began to suck lightly on her neck. "Adam," she whispered as light as air.

Immediately, he brought his right hand to her breast and began to massage and squeeze the sensitive skin there. Arching his back downward but making sure to keep her secure against the door, his lips took the place of his hand and kissed and sucked the peak of her breast relentlessly before moving on to the other one.

When he finally left her breasts, he raked his lips up her neck again and lightly bit the skin under her left ear. When she moaned loudly, Adam pulled back and stared into her eyes, feeling deeply excited. Without a word being uttered, he moved his manhood to her heated opening and waited. He wanted to make sure she was okay with the position they were in since this would be the first time they would be making love with him standing and pressing her against a hard surface.

She seemed to like it and want it as much he did when she almost impaled herself by surging her hips forward quickly. With a deep moan, he slipped inside and tried to hold still for several moments, but Teela wasn't having it. She bucked against him desperately and mumbled, "Come on, Adam. We've done enough soft and tender today. Why don't we try something else now?"

Closing his eyes, Adam had to breathe deeply to stop himself from letting go completely at her words. When he was sure he had control, he then gave into both of their desires. He pounded her relentlessly against the door and Adam was surprised to find Teela a lot more vocal now than she had been during their previous encounters. She was moaning and howling his name constantly before she cried, "Adam, I don't want our parents to hear us if they haven't already! Take us somewhere else!"

Instantly, Adam pulled her from the door and shakily carried her to the wall next to his bathroom. Placing her there, he asked, "Is this better or would you prefer the bed?"

"Here," she moaned as he began to thrust again mightily. Teela matched his frantic motions and tightened her legs around his waist to try to pull him even closer. His response was to increase his speed and Teela met him thrust for thrust. She cried out even more loudly than before and Adam found himself joining her in complete and utter oblivion. His cries blended with hers in the night air until completion was found. Within moments, Teela went wimp as Adam leaned against her and slowed his thrusts until he stopped altogether.

"Are you okay?" he mumbled against her, trying desperately to remain standing as his knees almost buckled underneath him from exhaustion. He knew she had to be as exhausted as he was since they were both drenched in sweat now and her body was still shaking. Whether it was from pleasure or from the workout they had just gone through, he wasn't sure.

"Hmmm," she practically purred as she stretched. "I'm good. Just sleepy."

He smiled when he realized he had tired her out completely. He then scolded himself silently when he realized he was about to let his ego run away with his thoughts again. Refusing to allow his chest to swell just because he had pleased his wife so thoroughly and had put her in such an obvious euphoric state, he mumbled, "Well, let's get cleaned up so we can go to bed."

Carefully, he kept her in the same position as he carried her to the bathroom and set her on the counter. Finally, he pulled away and immediately went to his bathtub to turn it on. As he adjusted the water and filled the tub with Teela's oils and bubbles, she hopped off the counter and walked over to him.

He immediately stood and held out his hand to help her inside. As soon as she had settled down in the water, he joined her. This time, Adam found himself designated as the official washer of the night. As Teela rested her back against the tub and closed her eyes, Adam lathered a washcloth and began to wash both their bodies thoroughly. His wife handed over the whole operation to him, including what happened once their bath ended. Shortly after he dried her with a towel, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to his bed.

"I could get used to this," she whispered against his chest as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I could, too," he agreed. He found that he loved taking care of his wife and knew it was truly a gift that she allowed him to do so. After all, Teela was the type of woman who took pride in her ability to take care of herself, so this spoke volumes about how much she trusted and loved him.

=)=)=)

The next morning Adam and Teela awoke to the sounds of vacuums running and a lot of commotion in the hall. As Teela stretched out beside him, he mumbled, "What in the name of the Ancients..." He started to make his way over to the door and stick his head out into the hall to see what was going on, but then he realized he was naked so he made a detour to his closet. In less than a minute, he dressed—aside from his shoes—and stepped into the chaos outside his chambers. He made sure to close the door, so no one present would catch a glimpse of Teela who had just sat up and turned to get out of bed. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked the numerous people that filled the Royal Hall.

A maid, who was walking by and carrying a potted plant, turned to the prince and smiled brightly. "As if you didn't know, Your Highness!" she replied excitedly. "The king ordered this room to be cleaned spotless. Isn't this to be your suite once you get married?" The maid didn't wait for an answer. She merely smirked and walked into the suite.

Adam widened his eyes in surprise. " _So, the rumors are already starting and they're rather close to the truth_ ," he thought to himself. He didn't know if that was his father's intentions or not. Surely, the king knew this would be the result when he told the maids to get the room ready, and he was sure everyone in Eternos would know what they were doing before the day was done.

Then, he realized this presented another problem. Teela was in his bedchambers without a change of clothes! She could neither leave his room without being noticed, nor could he go into hers to get a change of clothes for her!

At that moment, his parents' bedchamber door opened and the queen stepped out. Obviously, his father was already up and about thanks to the huge cleaning crew that came in and out of his future suite.

"Adam," the queen greeted as she walked over to him.

Before she could say anything, he whispered, "We have a problem, Mom."

"What's that?" she asked, slightly alarmed.

He didn't mean to worry his mother, and because of the nature of the problem, he could feel his cheeks burn from the blush that had undoubtedly settled on them. He leaned to her right ear and whispered, "Teela's in my bedchambers. I need to get a change of clothes from her bedchambers and she obviously needs to leave mine undetected."

She laughed a little and chastised, "Oh, my son, sometimes you forget that you're a prince, don't you? It took me a while to get used to being a queen, but you've been raised as royalty."

When he raised a brow, the queen turned to the maids in the hall and announced, "I want everyone in this hall to leave and take a fifteen minute break. Take everyone inside the suite with you." Within seconds, everyone complied and left. "Mission accomplished," she said once the coast was clear.

He shook his head at her and said, "Yeah, and I bet they're all speculating why they had to leave. I'm sure Teela will be on the list."

She shrugged and said, "Well, soon their suspicions won't matter much, will they?"

She grinned again and began to walk away. Adam shook his head, not quite believing how calmly his parents were taking this whole situation. It was almost like his mother didn't care about what the people thought or said, when he knew it was something they generally cared about. He knew then that his father must have come up with a solution and he would be finding out what it was very soon.

With a sigh, he stuck his head back into his bedchambers to see Teela grabbing her dress off the floor. "Don't worry about that," he said. "I'm going to your bedchambers to get something for you. Do you want a dress or your uniform?"

"My uniform is fine," she replied.

Adam immediately closed the door and went inside to grab her uniform and underwear, as well as her boots and custom tiara.

=)=)=)

Within a quarter of an hour, Teela and Adam were making their way to the dining room for breakfast. Each were surprised at the number of help that were present at the palace today. And, even more surprising was the fact that everyone stopped to look at them and whisper to one another.

When they finally walked into the dining room, Adam couldn't control himself as soon as he saw his father. "What did you do?" he asked. "It's like the whole palace knows something is going on with Teela and me!"

The king stood and replied, "It's because they do, son. I ordered for your suite to be cleaned. They know what that room is reserved for."

The prince shook his head and led Teela to the seat beside his. Orko was already present and in Teela's usual seat next to Man-at-Arms. It seemed as though the little Trollan assumed they had officially exchanged seats. When he sat down after pushing Teela's chair in for her, he looked to his father and questioned, "I assume you have a plan?"

The king nodded. "Yes, I do. It's not the most creative in the world, but it's the only thing we can do now."

"What's that?"

The king looked at Marlena and she nodded at her husband confidently. Randor looked back at his son and announced, "I'm going to tell the people that because you have known Teela your entire life and that you were raised together, you believe your courtship to be pointless and you wish to marry Teela right away. I, of course, will then state that I have consented because I know how much you love each other. We will have the wedding in about a week. After all, we need the marriage to happen rather soon to make sure the timing of Teela's pregnancy doesn't become an issue in the future."

Adam was surprised at his father's news. "Do you think there will be a backlash of some kind at the abruptness of the wedding?" he asked unsurely.

The king shrugged and answered truthfully. "Probably, but we can't help that, can we? The people who will complain will more than likely be people like Moraius and Janice. Their sights will be set on the crown unfortunately."

Adam grimaced and asked, "Do you think they're going to question Teela's virtue?"

The king pursed his lips and said, "If they do, I'll confirm that she has already undergone the test of purity and passed with flying colors. That isn't a lie, after all."

Adam nodded nervously and looked down at his plate. "I'm sorry about all the headache this is going to cause you, Father," he admitted.

Randor waved his hand dismissively and replied, "It's fine, son. While I would have preferred you waited to get married and give me a grandchild, what's done is done. We're going to make the best of it, and truthfully, it won't be too hard. This is good news despite the quickness of it all. Luckily, I already know you two love each other and that Teela was not after the crown when she married you."

Adam grinned at his wife and agreed, "No, she most emphatically was not after that."

She reached her hand out and grabbed Adam's hand as she addressed the king. "Thank you for accepting me, our marriage, and my pregnancy, Your Majesty. I don't know how Adam and I would have handled things if you had done any differently. I'm also extremely grateful that you're helping us handle all of this fallout from our decision."

"You're family," the queen replied. "We look out for one another; that's what we do….no matter what."

Man-at-Arms cleared his throat and interjected, "We just want to do all we can to ensure that the two of you are as happy as we know you can be. What Randor plans to tell the people is not a lie. We have known of your feelings for one another for a long time. We have long believed that you two were meant for each other. Now that you're married, we can't do anything but accept it."

Adam and Teela grinned at each other as the kitchen staff came into the room. Man-at-Arms' words meant a lot to Adam, especially after the slight hiccup they had gone through after he had announced Teela's pregnancy. He understood why Duncan had reacted as he had. He had stolen the elder man's daughter and had seemingly made her keep secrets from him on top of it. He was glad he was able to tell him that wasn't the case, even though he was still a little perturbed at the idea that Duncan could get mad about someone keeping secrets. Regardless, he was glad they were finally family and that he—like his parents—accepted their marriage and A.J.

It also calmed him significantly that Man-at-Arms was relaxed at that moment. After all, the soldier hadn't told him about his trip to Castle Grayskull, yet. He had gone to find out more information on Morgoth and Durriken, so the fact that Duncan was seemingly more concerned about his marrying Teela and her being pregnant was a comfort. If there had been any absolute dire news that needed to be attended to right away, he knew that would have taken precedence. Or at least he hoped. He knew after breakfast, he would follow Duncan to his workshop to find out exactly what was going on.

For now, though, he pushed those thoughts from his mind. He had to, because his mother had suddenly turned to him and asked, "So, have you two decided where you want to go for your honeymoon yet?"

When they shook their heads, the queen then asked, "Have you figured out what colors you would like to have at your wedding?"

When they shook their heads again, the queen grinned excitedly and said, "Then, we have a _lot_ cut out for us! This wedding will be here before you know it: we have a wedding dress to pick out, a crown to pick out, colors to decide on, food to order, a formal suit for Adam to pick out, and a million other things! Let's not even forget we have to start preparing for the baby, as well!" She was practically bouncing up and down in her seat merrily. "You two are mine for the foreseeable future!"


	52. Where's Cringer?

Teela's Visitor Chapter 52

The palace was still buzzing by the time the Royal Family had finished eating their breakfast. In fact, things were more chaotic now than they had been earlier. As soon as Adam stepped foot into the corridor, he was surprised to see carpenters, seamstresses, and maids hustling towards the Royal Hall. He was even more surprised to hear what some of the ladies in the groups were saying:

"Can you believe it? It's finally happening!" "I know. Prince Adam is getting married! You know that's why King Randor has us cleaning the suite!" "I knew it wouldn't be too long before he popped the question to Teela. He's been in love with her since they were kids."

Adam stole a side glance at his wife and mumbled, "Do you think everyone knew how we felt about each other except for us?"

"It sure seems that way," she answered.

At that moment, Queen Marlena stepped out behind them and answered, "It was so obvious! You two were inseparable from a very early age. At first, Randor had believed Teela was filling a subconscious void you had felt at Adora's absence, but I knew differently. You were always so fascinated by her even when you were toddler, and the looks you always gave her when you got older could not be mistaken for sisterly affections."

Adam blushed with a small grin. "No, I didn't feel brotherly towards her at all."

Marlena laughed, walked between them, and slipped her arms through both of theirs. She pushed them forward and said, "Well, we might as well get the ball rolling with all of these decisions we have to make. The first things to decide on are the decorations and the colors for the wedding. That will give us an idea for the apparel needed and the like."

Adam knew instantly that his mother was pushing them towards her sitting room. Undoubtedly, she had plans to keep them there for at least the next couple of hours, but unfortunately, he couldn't afford that right now. "Mom, I'm afraid I need to take a rain check on that."

The queen frowned at him disapprovingly. "You're going to skip out on your own wedding preparations?"

He winced when he realized how that sounded, but Teela quickly defended him. "Well, to be fair, Your Highness, Adam did arrange our first wedding all by himself and did a fantastic job. I suppose it's my turn now."

He grinned at his wife and countered, "Not at all. I'll be back by soon. I simply wanted to talk with your father after breakfast, remember?"

"Oh, yes," she agreed. "You should run along and do that."

He nodded in agreement and looked back at his mother. "I'll be back soon, Mother, and then you can have me for the rest of the day unless something comes up." Without waiting for an answer, he trotted off after Man-at-Arms so she couldn't stop him and question _why_ he had to talk to his mentor.

When he stepped into Duncan's workshop a short time later, Adam saw him standing at his workbench, picking up his rock softener invention. "What are you going to do with that?" he asked curiously. Duncan had made the rock softener to destroy boulders in fields workers needed to use for crops and things of that nature, but it was hardly the right season to be planting, so he wondered if something was wrong with it.

Duncan turned to the prince and asked, "Have you been outside since you hit your head?"

Adam wrinkled his brow and replied, "No."

"The dragon and what we had to do to stop it left quite a mess in its wake. Some walls and buildings have crumbled. I think to clean it up, it's simply going to be easier to destroy the rubble and bring new materials in."

Adam stepped forward and said, "But wouldn't it save money to use some of the old materials if we can?"

"Yes, if we can, but…"

He shook his head and said, "It's not a big deal, Duncan." He took the Power Sword from his back and yelled, "By the Power of Grayskull…"

When he was He-Man, he smiled. He hadn't realized it until now, but he had still had a slight headache from his concussion, but now that he was He-Man and that dull pain was no longer there, he could feel the difference. He looked at his mentor and stated, "He-Man can salvage what we can use again. Then, you can use the rock softener for everything else."

Duncan nodded once and began to step away to presumably lead outside, but He-Man reached out a hand and grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, this isn't the reason why I came. I wanted to know what happened at Castle Grayskull. We never had a chance to talk about that."

"Oh!" Duncan said as he set the softener on a nearby table. "So much has happened since then that it slipped my mind."

He-Man nodded in agreement. "Yes, which is why I came while I could. The queen already wants to kidnap me for the foreseeable future. She almost got me before I could get here."

Man-at-Arms laughed and said, "I'm sure she is very excited. You can't blame her."

"No, I don't."

Duncan's smile soon faded and he replied, "The Sorceress didn't really have any new information besides what you know. She believes, like we do, that Durriken and Skeletor will work together to bring Morgoth back to this dimension. How they do that is the question we must ask ourselves."

He-Man sighed and said, "Undoubtedly, it will involve sorcery of some sort. That has me worried, because it could happen at any time if that's the case. In my vision earlier when I pumped my head, I saw Durriken and Skeletor. If we hadn't won earlier, they would have shown up to the palace. That means they've already agreed to work together." He shook his head. "We can't let them prevail, Duncan. I have so much to lose now: Teela and A.J. Losing either is unfathomable."

Man-at-Arms placed his hands on his hips and asked, "What do you think we should do?"

Groaning, He-Man shrugged animatedly. He flung his hands up and exclaimed irritably, "I don't know! I'm at a loss! This is a little out of the usual realm of things! I feel like I should go to Snake Mountain and separate them!"

"Separate them?"

He nodded. "Yeah, they can't work together if they're physically not together. I want to take Durriken and keep him as far as possible from Skeletor. And, of course, I'd be able to talk to him about everything. Maybe we could convince him to drop all of this nonsense, but I know that's probably wishful thinking."

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea, He-Man. Maybe we should go to Snake Mountain instead of cleaning up." He looked around the room and asked, "Where's Cringer?"

He-Man shrugged and replied, "I haven't seen him since this mo…" He paused. "Actually, I haven't seen him since dinner last night. He wasn't at breakfast this morning." He began to look worried.

Duncan didn't notice He-Man's expression. He merely commented, "If we are to go to Snake Mountain now, I think we should have Battlecat with us, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes," He-Man said, looking towards the door. "I'll go find him." Without waiting for a response, he left the room hurriedly. He went to all of Cringer's usual spots to take naps throughout the palace and couldn't find him anywhere. When all that failed, he stood in the middle of the hall and wracked his brain for other places to look. The truth was he was worried and it was nearly overwhelming him. He realized then that he had been a horrible best friend and pet owner recently. He'd left Cringer to his own devices pretty much since Teela and he had gotten together, and now he realized that maybe the feline hadn't been as supportive as he pretended to be the few times they had been together…

Or maybe something had happened? That was entirely possible and likely. Never before in their lives together did Cringer choose willingly to stay away. Something was wrong.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he realized maybe Orko knew something. Besides himself, Orko would be the next person on the list that his friend would like to hang out with. The Trollan wasn't in his bedroom, so He-Man immediately went out into the courtyard and called for him. He was taken aback by the destruction that he saw there—large boulders, walls, and pieces of rubble littered the ground everywhere inside and outside the palace gate—but he couldn't let that stop him from his current mission. He had to find Cringer!

Orko had the hearing of a hawk. He could hear from miles away, so He-Man knew he would catch the jester's attention eventually.

Within several minutes, he was relieved to see Orko floating towards the courtyard from outside the palace gate. Then, he frowned when he saw that Cringer was not with him.

"He-Man!" Orko cried worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

He-Man nodded and asked, "Have you seen Cringer? I can't find him anywhere! I'm worried."

Orko rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. "Uh, Cringer?" he questioned. "Why are you looking for him?"

The Trollan's response interested He-Man. It was obvious Orko knew something, because he wasn't suddenly worried about his friend being missing. In fact, it almost seemed like Orko wanted to avoid the conversation. Playing along with Orko's line of questioning, he answered, "I need to go to Snake Mountain. Durriken is there and I want to separate him from Skeletor. They're out to destroy my relationship with Teela and I wanted to take Battlecat with me. Besides, I haven't really spent any time with him recently. I wanted to rectify that."

"Oh, well…I don't know," Orko muttered.

"You don't know what?"

Orko shrugged and replied, "I don't know what to say."

Deciding to be blunt, he stated, "Orko, I know you know something. I can tell. Do you know where Cringer is? Take me to him!"

"He-Man," complained Orko. "I made a promise to Cringer."

Astounded, he took a step back. "You made a promise to Cringer to what? Not tell me something? Since when has Cringer ever hidden anything from me?" He felt tears swarm to his eyes, but he tried his best to hide them. He didn't do too good of a job, though, since he felt one slide down his cheek. He rubbed it away irritably and said, "Well, I guess he wouldn't want to go, then. I'll go back to Man-at-Arms and…"

"He-Man!" Orko called out as He-Man walked away. He flew in front of the hero and waved his hand. "It's not what you're thinking."

He-Man looked down at the ground and shook his head. "You don't know what I'm thinking, Orko. I think I've been a horrible friend and neglected Cringer, you, and everyone else. I've been a little blind to everything besides Teela recently and that's completely my fault. I know that. I can understand why Cringer would be mad at me and now he's giving me a taste of my own medicine. I…it's okay."

"It's not that," Orko insisted. When He-Man began to walk away, Orko called his name again to get him to stop. When the hero didn't, Orko snapped his fingers and yelled, "Miggle maggle wiggle way, make that strong man want to stay!"

He-Man let out a surprised gasp when he suddenly found his feet stuck in some kind of sticky goo. While he could move his feet, he couldn't move too far. He twisted his body as far as he could and called out a little angrily, "ORKO!"

Orko flew over with a laugh and said, "That's not quite what I wanted, but it will do."

He-Man stared at him, none too enthused, and replied, "Let me go! I have to go to Snake Mountain. I don't have time to hang out here."

Orko shook his head and responded, "Let me take you to Cringer, He-Man. I told him he should have told you, but these things are never easy to share. Maybe he'll be appreciative that I did it for him."

"What is it?"

Orko chuckled and said, "You'll see! Let's grab an AttakTrak!"

=)=)=)

The trip to the Vine Jungle took far longer than He-Man would have liked. He knew Duncan was probably worried and wondered where he had gone, but he just had to find out what was going on with Cringer. Orko's reaction to everything had calmed him down a lot, though. The jester laughed from time to time, which meant it couldn't be too bad…he hoped.

They had been traveling in the jungle for a good thirty minutes before Orko told him to get the AttakTrak to stop. Once they were outside the vehicle, Orko flew to his side and whispered, "I don't know exactly where he is, but he'll be around here somewhere."

He-Man was surprised. He didn't think his cowardly companion would ever seek to go to the jungle by himself. What had possessed him? Then, he realized maybe Orko had gone with him and his calling earlier had made Orko leave. This was quite a distance away from the palace, but he knew it was still possible.

Watching Orko float away, he followed him quietly. After walking around for about five minutes, Orko dropped to the ground at the bottom of a hill and looked back at He-Man. He brought a finger to his scarf where his mouth was and shushed him. He then waved his hand to motion for him to come over. Going along with Orko's theatrics, He-Man crouched down and made his way to the hill. Slowly, they made their way up the embankment.

On the other side of the hill, there was a clearing and He-Man saw something that made him gasp and then smile. There was Cringer with another green and orange tiger, and if he wasn't mistaken, his feline companion was a female.

Instantly, He-Man rolled over on his back and stared up at the trees above him. He chuckled and tried to keep the reaction as quiet as possible. It figured—it really did—that Cringer would find a love interest now, of all times possible. He knew then that this cemented some of the images he had seen of the future. More than likely, A.J. would have a feline companion during his early youth and gratefully, it would be Cringer's offspring, just like he had hoped.

Crawling back down the hill, He-Man walked several feet away, lifted the Sword of Power, and changed back into Adam.

Orko flew over and cried, "Adam, what are you doing?"

"I want to meet her as Adam, not He-Man."

"Are you crazy? That's a wild tiger! She barely tolerates me!"

Adam gave several soft pats to Orko's back as he walked by. He walked up the embankment and stood there. Neither tiger noticed since they were pouncing at each other playfully and rolling around in the grass. He walked down to the clearing and sat at the bottom of the hill. Cringer was laughing while the female cat growled. Adam didn't know how but he could tell it was a playful growl and she had no intention of hurting Cringer.

It was only a matter of seconds, though, before the female tiger knew something was wrong. She started smelling the air and then turned to look to her left. Her eyes met Adam and instantly, she arched her back and let out a fierce growl as her hair spread out wildly in every direction.

Cringer looked over and widened his eyes when he saw Adam. Instantly, he jumped in front of his feline companion and growled.

Immediately, the female relaxed her stance, but she stayed away as Cringer approached them.

"Adam! Wh-what are you doing here?" He then glared at Orko.

Orko laughed nervously, but before he could explain, Adam answered. "Don't blame Orko, old buddy. I was really worried about you. I couldn't find you anywhere, and I thought maybe you were angry at me for spending so much time with Teela. Orko didn't have a choice really. I thought you possibly...didn't want to…spend time with me anymore or something." He widened his eyes as he looked at the female. It suddenly dawned on him that it was still a possibility. Maybe Cringer would want to stay in the jungle with his friend. Maybe he'd want to stay indefinitely. "Uh, I mean…" He looked around frantically. "I don't know what you want now. I just…I had to see for myself that you were all right."

"I'm f-fine, Adam," Cringer muttered as he brushed his paw back and forth against the grass several times.

He nodded and stood. "Well, I guess I should leave. Like I said, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"What about Snake Mountain?" Orko asked loudly.

Adam closed his eyes and wished Orko would have kept his mouth shut. He reopened his eyes and said, "It's not a big deal. I'll go alone. I hope to see you at some point today, Cringer, if you can." He started to walk up the hill when Cringer ran in front of him.

"I'll…I'll go to Sn-Snake Mountain if you need me to, Adam. Would you like to meet her before we leave, though?"

Adam's brow rose. "Does she want to? Her reaction when she saw me wasn't exactly friendly."

"You s-startled her," Cringer stated. He walked down the hill again and growled at the female. When she growled back, he turned to look at Adam and motioned with his head to walk over.

Adam stood at Cringer's side as the female tiger approached slowly. When they were within reaching distance of one another, Adam asked, "Does she have a name?"

"Not a human one." He growled at her and she responded in kind again. "She says you can give her one if you wish."

"Oh!" Adam said slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that one. "I don't know, Cringer. What do you think?"

He shrugged his two front legs and replied, "Well, sh-she doesn't cringe or run from f-fights, so anything like that is off the table."

Adam smiled as he thought about her earlier reaction to him. She had been ready to fight at a second's notice. "That gives me an idea," he said. "I'm not saying this should definitely be her name, but I'll call her 'Casidhe' for the time being. It means 'brave.'"

Cringer growled at Casidhe and she nodded her head in what Adam assumed was acceptance of the name.

Kneeling down so they were at eye level, Adam said, "Hi, Casidhe. I'm Adam. I'm Cringer's best friend, but I'm sure he told you that."

Cringer growled at her a few times and she spoke back.

Cringer turned to Adam. "She says it's nice to meet you and that she's heard a lot about you."

"Hopefully good things?" Adam questioned.

"Of course, Adam," Cringer said. He then spoke to Casidhe and she stepped forward. She rubbed her head under Adam's fingers and he immediately scratched behind her ears like he did with Cringer all the time.

"I told her you would do that and that she would like it," Cringer said.

Adam knew she did like it, because he could feel and hear the enormous purr erupting from her body. He grinned as he looked at Cringer and said, "I guess this answers my question if other tigers like you can talk, too. I guess your ability might really be from Castle Grayskull?"

Cringer shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "So, are we going to Snake Mountain?"

"Only if you want to. You can stay with Casidhe. I don't want to intrude. I know you really don't like doing these things or turning into Battlecat."

Cringer looked back at Casidhe and stated firmly, "Well, w-we haven't done a lot together recently. I'll make an exception to my usual reluctance for once."

Adam laughed as he stood. He was glad that he now knew what was going on with Cringer and that for once, his friend would go with him to Snake Mountain willingly. Afterward, he couldn't wait to tell Teela the news! Cringer had a girlfriend, which in turn would one day give A.J. his feline companion. He could already imagine her surprise when he told her. He grinned happily.


	53. How Cringer Met Casidhe

Teela's Visitor Chapter 53

Adam smiled at Cringer after the tiger said goodbye to Casidhe. It had been obvious to Adam that Cringer was a little reluctant to leave her, but when he told Cringer again that he could stay, his pet insisted, so he relented.

Now that they were walking away and Casidhe was no longer within hearing range, he couldn't hold it in anymore. "So, Casidhe, huh? How in the world did you two meet?"

Cringer paused for a second and then threw his master a sly glance as he continued to walk. He asked, "Do you really want to know?"

Adam's smile widened into a grin as he exclaimed, "Of course! I wouldn't have asked otherwise!" Cringer kept walking and Adam stopped. "Are you going to tell me?"

Cringer turned around, lifted his brow, and questioned, "Are you going to tell me how you and Teela got together?"

It was at that moment that Adam realized how hypocritical he was being. Here he was asking Cringer all of these personal questions—expecting him to give all the details—when he hadn't really shared anything with him.

His thoughts and self-reprimands were interrupted when Orko suddenly laughed. He rolled his eyes at his little friend's amusement and nodded at Cringer. "Yes, I'll tell you. I'm sorry that I haven't before now." Knowing that Cringer probably wanted him to go first, he began, "It…wasn't really planned. It sort of just happened."

"That's how it usually happens," Orko announced with a chuckle. "I didn't even plan on _meeting_ Dree-Elle!"

Adam sighed and replied, "Yes, I suppose you're right. Anyway, remember the day when Teela didn't show up for our combat lesson and I told you to cover for me when I went to check on her?"

Cringer nodded.

He shrugged and continued, "Well, I went to her bedroom where she was sleeping and…" He trailed off, because he was getting to the delicate part and he wanted to word it well. "Uh, when she woke up, we talked for a little bit. She was in pain because…uh, her stomach hurt, so I was rubbing it. One thing led to another and we ended up kissing several times before Man-at-Arms called over the comlink to say that he was coming to bring her something for her pain. I left. You pretty much know the rest."

Cringer began walking again and Adam followed. They could see the AttakTrak in the distance when Cringer shared his story. "I met Casidhe not t-t-too many days after that. Orko and I were in the courtyard because he wanted to practice that magic trick he told you about for the king and queen."

Already, Adam saw where this was going. He remembered the trick Orko had told him about before he had kidnapped Cringer to go fishing. The trick involved his pet disappearing and reappearing. Undoubtedly, Cringer had wound up in the Vine Jungle during practice somehow. Cringer confirmed his thoughts:

"Orko's ma-magic messed up again. He sent me to the Vine Jungle."

"And, you just ran across Casidhe on your way back to the palace?"

Cringer smirked at Orko and said, "N-Not exactly. I fell a short distance from the ground and landed right on top of her!"

Adam widened his eyes and stopped walking. "I assume she didn't take that too well considering she is a wild tiger. Did she hurt you?"

Cringer looked down at the ground and mumbled. "No, no…she thought I did it intentionally. She thought I was interested in..." He cleared his throat.

Adam nodded and reminded himself that cats handled those things a lot differently than humans. They were a lot more forward and aggressive when it came to _that_ particular topic. "So, I take it she was interested," he replied teasingly with a crooked grin.

Obviously ignoring the connotation Adam was making, Cringer replied, "In a relationship? Yes."

Adam let it slide. Cringer hadn't given him too hard of a time at all about Teela, so he would return the favor. "Well, that's good, old friend. I'm glad you finally found someone," he remarked honestly. Cringer returned the sentiment about Teela.

When the trio reached the AttakTrak, Adam looked around and then lifted his sword to turn them into He-Man and Battlecat. He figured now was as good a time as any. Once they were all in the AttakTrak, He-Man announced, "All right, you two, let's get back to the palace to pick up Man-at-Arms."

=)=)=)

When the AttakTrak came to a stop in the courtyard, He-Man was surprised to see Man-at-Arms sitting in a Windraider with Teela standing outside of it with her hands on her hips. She was looking at her father rather crossly with knitted eyebrows and pursed lips. It was obvious they were arguing and she did not like what her father was telling her at all.

He jumped out and jogged over to them. "Hey, what's going on?"

Teela jumped slightly. She was so focused on her father that she hadn't noticed He-Man's presence until he had spoken. Man-at-Arms turned and sighed as a look of relief settled on his face.

"Where have you been?" Man-at-Arms and Teela exclaimed simultaneously.

He widened his eyes a little at the combination of worry and anger he heard in their voices. He looked at Man-at-Arms and said, "I told you I was going to find Battlecat. It took a little longer than I had anticipated."

Climbing out of the Windraider, Man-at-Arms crossed his arms and asked, "And, you didn't think you could use the comlink to let me know what was going on? You had us both worried. I was getting ready to fly to Snake Mountain to look for you, and Teela was insisting on coming along. If you hadn't shown up…"

He-Man looked at Battlecat and Orko, who shrugged at him. He looked back and explained, "I was actually a little busy. Battlecat and I were talking about several things and it hadn't crossed my mind to use the comlink to tell you where I was, but…" He paused dramatically for emphasis. "I do believe the comlink works both ways. You could have used it to contact me."

Man-at-Arms looked down and almost seemed to blush. "Yes, well, I hadn't thought about the comlink either until I was face-to-face with you. I was upset that you had seemingly decided to go to Snake Mountain without me and then I was distracted by convincing Teela to stay here."

He-Man turned his attention to his wife, then, and stated firmly, "Teela, no matter what had happened, whether I was at Snake Mountain or not, I don't want you to ever compromise yourself or A.J. You're carrying my…" He looked around and whispered, "You're carrying Prince Adam's son. I want you to be safe at all times and going to Snake Mountain is just not in the playbook for you anymore."

She narrowed her eyes and said, "If you're hurt or in trouble…"

He shook his head adamantly and raised his voice a little. "It doesn't matter, Teela! Your father, the Sorceress, or my father can handle that. _YOUR_ job is to protect A.J. and yourself now, not me."

She frowned at him and crossed her arms.

He sighed and continued softly, "I know how hard that is going to be for you. You are used to being a warrior and helping me, but you can't do that anymore. We already agreed that was the way things had to be. It's one thing to fight here to protect our home and our kids one day, but to actively seek dangerous situations while you're pregnant is entirely different. You can't do that, Teela. If something happened to you or A.J., I don't know what I'd do; it would kill me. So, promise me right now that you won't endanger yourself from this point forward: no going to battle, no rescue missions, or any other deleterious activity that might come up in the future!"

When she simply glared at him, he begged, "Please, Teela! Be mad at me for speaking to you in such a way or taking away the life you loved—that's fine if you feel the need—but don't make me worry about your safety. Don't make me imagine an existence without you and A.J. If you don't agree, that's what you'll be doing."

Sighing, she stated finally, "Fine. I promise. I don't like it, but I promise."

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. She was a little resistant at first. She had stiffened her body, but as he continued to hold her, she relaxed and melted into his embrace.

"I just can't imagine you being hurt or in danger either. I want to help you. I don't ever want to question one day whether I could have been able to stop it if something ever happened to you," she explained against his chest.

He tightened his hold and kissed her temple lightly. "I understand that, but it's the life wives have when they're married to soldiers—there's no difference really."

She pulled back and whispered, "Be careful, Adam. I can't lose you now."

He smiled softly and questioned, "Where is all of this coming from? Why the sudden worry? I've been to Snake Mountain without you plenty of times for the past two years as He-Man and Adam. What has gotten you so worried?" He brushed his fingers across her cheekbone as he gazed into her eyes.

She shrugged as a faint blush covered her skin. "I don't know," she admitted. "I think it's way too soon for A.J. to be affecting my emotions, but I just…want you here with us, safe and sound. I know I keep saying it, but I don't want to risk losing you, and not being there with you during battles is making the desire so much worse."

He-Man responded by looking around quickly and changing himself and Battlecat back into Prince Adam and Cringer. Before anyone could question why, he gathered Teela in his arms and kissed her deeply. Their eyes had been closed during this display of affection, but once Adam reopened them and pulled back from his wife slightly, he saw that Man-at-Arms had walked off several feet away to give them a little sense of privacy. He was facing the palace gate and Orko and Cringer were at his side.

Adam turned his attention back to Teela and mumbled, "I think it's called being a newlywed and a mother-to-be at the same time. I can hardly bear being away from you right now, too. That's probably why it's customary to have a honeymoon after couples get married, so they can get their fill of each other."

"I don't think we ever will," she whispered. Their lips met once more and when Adam pulled back this time, he rested his forehead on hers.

"Probably not," he agreed. "But we'll just have to get used to sharing one another with others." He grinned with a chuckle and she popped him on the chest lightly.

"Are you going to Snake Mountain now?"

"I'm afraid I have to. I have to separate Durriken and Skeletor. Otherwise, they might bring Morgoth back from the other dimension quicker than anticipated."

She nodded and just when they were about to pull apart, a deep voice exclaimed, "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you two! I thought you would have been with Marlena all day!"

Adam turned and looked over at none other than his father. "We've been here with Man-at-Arms," he replied, using his head to gesture towards Duncan, who was walking back with Cringer and Orko following him.

King Randor nodded in greeting at Man-at-Arms before the soldier even reached them and continued to speak to his son and daughter-in-law, "Well, it doesn't really matter. I'm just surprised Marlena actually let either one of you out of her sight. She's really excited about the wedding and crowning, among other things." He grinned at Teela and winked.

Teela smiled back but didn't say anything, because Randor was still speaking and made a big announcement.

"I just wanted to let you both know that this afternoon I'm going to make the announcement of your engagement and the upcoming wedding. We can expect an increase of visitors, royalty and diplomats. Also, we'll have to pick up security, just in case Skeletor or any overzealous citizens want to get to either one of you. For the foreseeable future once this announcement has been made, I want you both to be cautious and inform any guards you see throughout the palace where you are at all times. I don't want any surprises, and I don't want to have to worry about either one of you. Better yet, it's probably wise to assign you both several bodyguards until everything settles down and we see how everyone responds."

Teela widened her eyes at the king and then abruptly turned to look at Adam. Both knew this could be a problem…


	54. Conversations of Fears and Family

Teela's Visitor Chapter 54

Adam froze as he heard his father's orders. There was absolutely no way he could abide by them! To have a bodyguard now would be detrimental to his plans to stop Durriken and Morgoth, not to mention it would be impossible to stop Skeletor if he tried anything else. He stared into Teela's worried eyes and he could tell she was also just as apprehensive about the developments. He cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Father, don't you think you're overreacting just a tad bit? I don't think the people will behave any differently than they did when you announced we were courting."

King Randor sighed and replied, "You might be surprised, son. Courting is one thing; getting married is quite another. And, let's not forget that you did have a few hiccups during your outing. Teela was attacked. Who knows how many other obsessed individuals will come out when this announcement is made! It is a bigger deal, you know. Eternia will finally have its princess and they'll know an heir will soon be possible afterward. Enemies might find this announcement to be an opportunity, and I, for one, don't want to risk it."

"But Father…"

Randor narrowed his eyes slightly. "It's not like I'm suggesting that you keep a security detail indefinitely. It's just while the news is new and threats are imminent. Once the ceremony is performed and things have settled down, things will go back to normal. I'm sure you want Teela and your unborn child protected, and I'm sure Teela wants the same thing for her child's father."

Adam knew he couldn't argue with that kind of logic. Besides, he could tell the king was getting a little perturbed that he was even trying to do so. He relented with a sigh and asked, "Can Man-at-Arms be my bodyguard at least?"

When Randor raised an eyebrow, Teela exclaimed, "That's a great idea! I would worry about the person's competency if it were anyone else!" She winked at her husband when he smiled at her.

The king glanced over at Man-at-Arms who stood there quietly, listening to the conversation. "What do you say about all of this, Duncan? You already have other responsibilities."

Duncan shrugged and answered, "It actually wouldn't be all that different. Adam is with me half the time, anyway. And, Teela's right—she would be paranoid if it were anyone else, and it would be wise to keep her calm." He chuckled when Teela stuck her tongue out at him playfully—she hadn't done that since she was a kid. "And, you said it was temporary. Besides, I know Adam the best aside from Teela. I think I'm a good candidate."

Randor nodded. "If that's what you want, but if it becomes too much, tell me and I'll find Adam someone else. As for you Teela, do you have any suggestions on who your guard is to be?"

She shrugged. "Whoever you assign will be fine, Your Highness. I won't be traveling too far from the palace anyway. I just made a promise to Adam that I wouldn't."

Randor smiled brightly at Adam and commented, "It's good to see you taking charge and making wise decisions in regards to your family, son."

"Thank you, Father," Adam said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He didn't really like the way his father worded his praise—"taking charge"—even though he was sure the king didn't mean anything by it. He glanced at Teela worriedly to see her reaction, but she didn't show any. She merely stood there.

Randor then walked to Adam's side and put an arm around his shoulders as he pulled him along with him. "I also think you should take a trip to Etheria pretty soon."

This shocked him. "Uh, what? Why?"

Randor turned to face him and placed his fists on his hips. "Well, you are going to tell Adora about your marriage and Teela's pregnancy, right? I think she would like to be there for the ceremony, at least."

It ashamed Adam that he hadn't even thought about his sister. Things had just been so crazy and overwhelming that he hadn't been able to think about anything besides Teela. But suddenly, he was glad that his father made the suggestion! Not only would Adora want to be there for the wedding, she would possibly want to help out with Morgoth and Durriken! "I'll do that today," he agreed.

"Tomorrow might be best," Randor said with a smile. "I want you here for the announcement and I know how you are when you leave to do things before big events. You either don't show up at all or you're late. We can't risk that this time. Instead, you're both going to meet with the seamstress to make sure whatever formalwear you decide to wear fits properly and is in immaculate condition."

"Yes, sir," Adam mumbled.

King Randor nodded once and after he walked several feet away, he turned back and requested happily, "Oh, and son…wear your crown."

=)=)=)

Adam sat at a picnic table in the courtyard, facing Man-at-Arms. Teela was sitting on his right side. Orko was floating above the table and Cringer was on the ground staring at him intently. "We need to have a plan," he said determinedly. "I can't go to Snake Mountain today because of Father's announcement, but perhaps I can go tonight."

"I think you should go in the morning," Teela countered. "I don't want you tired, and before you say He-Man doesn't tire, Prince Adam does! Besides…" she trailed off and whispered in his ear, "I don't want to sleep without you ever again."

He smiled at her and gave her a brief kiss on the lips. "I don't want to either." After a pause, he concluded, "So, morning it is."

Teela smiled triumphantly and mumbled, "Well, that didn't take much convincing. I'm so glad." They kissed each other again chastely.

Duncan looked back and forth between the couple in front of him and shook his head in amusement. "What?" they asked when they saw his expression.

"Nothing," he answered, waving both of his hands back and forth hesitantly. "It's just that it's amazing how much your relationship and marriage suits the both of you. While neither one of you were immature, there has definitely been a change for the better." When Adam raised his brow, Duncan explained, "You both talk about your thoughts and feelings before making decisions. You do your best to protect one another, and you try to make the other happy regardless of the situation." He laughed. "You're both calmer and more relaxed despite the fact that things have been getting rather tough. I just…have no doubt that you two were meant for each other. It's like you balance the other out."

Adam smiled as he glanced over at his wife. "That's precisely how I feel, Duncan. I can't imagine life without her anymore. I can't imagine her _not_ being my wife."

Teela reached out and grabbed his hand to give it a squeeze. "I can't imagine it, either," she agreed. "Regardless of what happens, I'm glad we got married and that we didn't wait."

His smile widened as they stared at each other and Man-at-Arms cleared his throat to get their attention back.

"Yes, well, the question is how we are going to get Durriken from Skeletor. We don't know if he is staying there willingly or not. It is possible Skeletor heard Durriken's tale and then forced him to stay…"

Adam interrupted him. He thought about the last vision he had of Durriken and knew it would effectively dismiss Duncan's hope that maybe Durriken wasn't truly on Skeletor's side. "No, he _is_ working with Skeletor. In my vision earlier, he arrived at the palace with him. He wasn't forced to be there. It was like they were partners."

"Are you sure?" Duncan asked.

He nodded. "Yes, there is no mistaking what I saw."

"All right," Duncan said. "Then that means Durriken will probably be wherever Skeletor is. We need to be prepared for a fight."

When Adam nodded, Teela shook her head and said, "I don't like this. I hate that you have to go at all!"

He knew she was frightened, especially since she couldn't help. He believed wholeheartedly those were the true reasons behind her words, but instead of calling her out on it, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted his other hand to her cheek. "Yes, I know. It isn't fair, but coming home to you and A.J. and knowing that I've done all I can to ensure that my family is safe will make it worth it. A.J. and you mean the world to me and I will do anything to make sure you're both well and happy."

She smiled and nodded a little as she rubbed her belly that wasn't even showing yet. "It's hard to believe he's on his way, isn't it? I'm happy and terrified all at the same time. I just know that I can't stand the thought of him growing up without you if something should happen."

"Nothing will happen. I'll make sure of it. You hear me?" He tilted his head to stare at her intensely.

She nodded reluctantly.

=)=)=)

Teela was in his bathing chamber taking a shower and he was staring in a mirror. Before him, he saw the Prince Adam that he was always supposed to be, the Prince Adam that he truly was. He stood confident with his shoulders straight and his head held high. He didn't currently wear a pink tunic with lavender tights and purple fur-pants. No, instead, he was wearing a dark purple tunic with a black belt and black pants, and on top of his head sat a large golden band that signified that he was the Crown Prince of Eternia…

He rarely wore it. And, it wasn't because he hated the prestige of it all or that he thought he didn't deserve it. Instead, he never wore it because when he was younger, he hadn't wanted people, especially his comrades-in-arms, to look at him as their leader. He-Man was to take that role and he didn't want people to equate Adam with He-Man. A few years later, he knew he had made a mistake with his decision. He had gone too far in differentiating himself from He-Man. But now, he could correct it. His marriage with Teela was good for him in so many ways. Not only was he getting the family he always wanted with the woman he always loved, he was able to make Prince Adam a new man. No one would be surprised to see Prince Adam growing up. Marriage would do that to a man after all. Everyone knew a man would cease his puerile actions and stop acting like a bachelor when he no longer was one.

Now, he could be the man he always wanted to be…for Teela and himself.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard his bathroom door open until Teela slipped her arms around him from behind. He grinned and turned around slowly. His wife stood there in a matching purple dress. It was sleeveless with a deep plunging neckline in the front and the back. The front, however, was modestly covered with black lace that only hinted at the cleavage underneath. He moaned a little and whispered, "You look beautiful."

Teela smiled and brushed her hair which was loose—aside from the strands that were pulled away from her sides and held together with a ponytail—from her shoulders. "You don't look so bad, yourself, Prince Adam."

He looked down at his attire and said playfully, "Do you really like it? If you want me to get back in the pink and lavender, I'll go change."

When she glared at him, he laughed heartily. "Hey, I was just checking!" he exclaimed with a wave of his hand innocently.

His wife, then, slipped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him. "I think I like this new attire, not that you don't look delectable in everything that you wear…"

"Delectable, huh?" he questioned. He leaned down and met her lips in a soft kiss. When they pulled back, he asked softly, "Are you ready for the announcement? Soon, you'll publically be the prince's fiancée."

She shrugged and remarked, "That's nowhere near as good as being your wife."

"I agree," he mumbled, meeting her lips briefly once more.

She shrugged and admitted, "I'm glad that things are moving along a lot faster. I know we're already husband and wife, but it will feel even more real, I think, when the public knows."

He nodded. "I know what you mean." He placed a hand lightly on her belly and said, "Just like when this little guy starts showing, it will make his arrival seem all the more real." He moved his thumb back and forth as he stared at her abdomen. After a few seconds, he looked up and met her eyes with his.

He wasn't surprised to see the tears there—he just wasn't sure if they were there for a good reason or a bad one. Either was possible, he knew. "Are you okay with everything? You know, our marriage, the announcement…A.J.?"

She let out a shaky breath and admitted, "I won't lie, Adam. It's a lot to adjust to in such a short period of time, but I wouldn't change anything. I'm so thankful to be your wife and to be the woman to give you your son."

Adam moved the hand that was resting on her abdomen to her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers lightly. "And, I'm thankful to be your husband and the man who will make you a mother."

More tears gathered in her eyes and he knew they needed to talk about this. It wasn't the most ideal time in the world, but he didn't want to put it off until later. Everything that had happened recently showed him that you never knew what would happen next. He whispered softly, "Teela, you are happy about A.J., right?"

She immediately widened her eyes and nearly shouted, "Of course, Adam! I'm very happy about A.J.! Like I just said, I am so very glad to be the one to carry your son. I wouldn't have it any other way."

He brought a hand to her cheek and rubbed the bone there with his thumb lightly. "I know what you've said, and I know you mean it, but I can't help but wonder how you feel now…you know, about being a mother. I know it's a little frightening to you."

She looked down at the floor and frowned. "It's frightening, yes. It's frightening, because I never had a mother to teach me how to be one, but that doesn't mean I hate the fact that I'm pregnant. Nothing could be further from the truth. I just that…I'm glad that you'll be there to help me, just in case I'm not perfect."

Adam laughed. "Teela, no parent is perfect! I highly doubt there ever will be one!"

She nodded at the floor and mumbled, "Yeah, I know." When she looked up, she confessed, "That's partly why I'm worried. I know I'm not going to be perfect and I have a lot of parental issues. And, I'm afraid that I won't know what I'm doing. The one comfort that I have is that I know you are going to be a fantastic father and that you'll be there to help me…That's why I'm so…crazy when it comes to you going to Snake Mountain or handling everything with Morgoth. It would kill me if something happened to you because I love you so much, but to add A.J. to the equation…I can't imagine raising him without you and…"

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

Instantly, Adam wrapped his arms around her completely and pulled her to him. "Hey, Teela, everything's going to be okay! I'm fine and I'm going to continue to be fine!"

"But you don't know that!" she exclaimed.

He pulled back a little to look into her eyes. "But I do," he insisted. "Remember, I've seen glimpses of the future and nothing I've seen indicates that I'm going to die anytime soon."

"But we're trying to change that future. What if things end up worse than they would have been?"

He sighed. "Teela, nothing on this planet will take me from you and A.J. I finally have everything I have ever wanted in my life and I'm not going to let either of you go nor will I leave you. You're not going to raise A.J. alone. I'll be there, I promise." He then bit his lip and added, "But Teela, even if something should happen…" He paused when she widened her eyes. "IT WON'T!" he insisted loudly. "But even if something did happen, you wouldn't raise A.J. alone. You have my parents and Man-at-Arms to help you." He huffed amusedly a little and added, "Even Orko would be there to help and he's great with kids. I know that better than anyone. A.J. is going to have a great childhood. He's going to have plenty of people around that is going to love him and help you raise him. I want to be there for him and I will be, but I'm not concerned if something should ever happen to me. You'll do a great job. I have no doubts, so you shouldn't either. The fact that you worry about it so much tells me you're going to do everything you can to be a great mom, so you will be."

Teela leaned up and kissed Adam on the lips. She held her mouth on his for several long seconds when a loud knock on the door interrupted them. They pulled apart when they heard Man-at-Arms' voice.

"Adam, Teela. It's time. King Randor wants you both present in court when he makes the announcement, so let's get going."


	55. More Troubles on the Horizon

Teela's Visitor Chapter 55

Adam extended his arm to his wife and she immediately took it as they followed Man-at-Arms from his bedchambers. He couldn't help but stare at Teela every so often as they walked.

The truth was he was a little worried.

He could tell that Teela was nervous about being a mother—he would admit to himself that he had known that to be the case for quite some time, even before A.J.'s conception—but he also knew there was nothing he could do about it. After all, even if he decided out of the blue to tell Teela that the Sorceress was her mother, would that really solve anything? It was possible it could make things worse for his wife. It certainly would strain the relationship _he_ had with the Sorceress if he revealed her secret before she was ready.

He sighed a little. " _Secrets_ ," he thought to himself with a shake of his head. " _They can certainly lead to heartache and pain_." He knew that better than anyone and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to run to Castle Grayskull and insist that the Sorceress tell her the truth about her parentage. At least Teela would then learn that her mother really had cared for her all these years. She would know that her mother had watched her grow up literally; she would know that her mother had been a constant presence in her life; she would know her mother had never missed an occasion, never missed a birthday and had sent her presents…

He smiled a little as he remembered Teela recounting her old belief that the Sorceress was a goddess-like figure that bestowed presents on everyone. He knew the Sorceress was lucky—very lucky—that her daughter hadn't pressed too hard on the fact of why she was so special. The fact that she believed it was because she would one day help He-Man to protect the castle…It almost broke his heart, because he knew Teela couldn't be the only one in pain here.

"Are you all right?"

The voice interrupted his reverie and he saw his wife staring at him with concerned eyes. Man-at-Arms adorned a similar expression. It was then that he noticed they were in front of the throne room doors and they were about to make their appearance in court before his father's big announcement.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, knowing that he needed to be thinking more positively so his mood would fit the occasion. After all, he was about to become an engaged man to the masses. "Yes, I'm fine!"

She squeezed his hand and asked, "Are you sure?" When he simply nodded, she frowned and whispered, "Adam, I promise I'm all right about A.J. I love our son already and I will never regret conceiving him. You know that, right?"

He looked down for a moment and chastised himself. Now he knew he was making her worry that he was questioning the love she had for their child. He looked up to see her opened lips and widened eyes. He nodded at her and spoke with all the sincerity he could muster. "Of course I know that, Teela. I never doubted. I realize I was a little lost in my head a moment ago, but I assure you I wasn't thinking about our earlier discussion. To tell the truth, I was thinking about the Sorceress and other things related to Castle Grayskull."

She lifted a brow and questioned, "Now? Of all times?"

He chuckled, because now he realized how odd that sounded. He let out a couple of puffs of air and mumbled, "What can I say? I am Eternia's Champion. My head is all over the place most of the time, and trust me, I've learned over the years as He-Man that usually all these things going on in my life are connected, so it's good that I'm so scatterbrained." He flashed her his quirkiest smile.

As suspected, she gave him that laugh he only heard when he was up to his usual antics to make himself appear carefree or fatuous.

=)=)=)

To give the appearance that it was going to be a normal afternoon court session, Prince Adam and Teela simply followed Duncan into the throne room after he opened the door. Because their relationship was still so new, they received a bit more of attention than they usually had in the past. Everyone seemed to turn towards them in one large mass to greet them by nodding, waving, or mumbling incoherently.

When they made their way to the throne, the mumbling increased and Adam knew they were now being gossiped about. He wondered if the maids' news had already spread throughout the kingdom. They knew the suite across from his parents' rooms was being prepared, so they might be able to guess their big announcement before the king even uttered a syllable.

Once they were standing in their normal spots, King Randor addressed the court. As usual, his father didn't start with the big news. He wanted to get business out of the way first, and Adam understood why: once everyone knew about their supposed engagement, it would be nearly impossible to get the king's ear about anything else, so he wasn't hurt about it all. Besides, it gave him and Teela a moment to get used to the current atmosphere. He couldn't quite place why, but he could tell something wasn't quite right. The room was filled with the same people it always was. There were no unusual visiting diplomats that threw everyone's equilibrium off. He looked around very carefully to make sure he spotted no signs of Skeletor or any other signs of danger. When he was sure nothing was evident, he told himself he was being silly, turned to Teela, and whispered, "Ready to get this over with?"

She nodded hurriedly. "Yes."

He smiled softly and asked, "Why is that? Feeling the need to stake your claim…"

Before he could finish the tease, he was interrupted by Roldan, his father's head chancellor of the court. He was the one who handled the things that weren't brought to his father's attention or the things the king simply did not wish to handle. "Is it true?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. His right brow was arched so high it almost reached where his hairline should have been if he had not been balding.

Taken aback by the abruptness of the question, Adam merely questioned, "Is what true?"

He pressed his lips together firmly and released a lot of air from his nose. Roldan then gestured his head towards Teela slightly. "You two. I know the king announced your courtship recently, so why am I already hearing about an engagement and your suite being cleaned out?"

Adam stared at him for a moment and then shook the stupor from his mind. "I'm sorry, Chancellor, I'm confused. I'm not sure why you're approaching me about this whether it is or isn't true. Also, I'm surprised that you sound a little upset by the news."

Roldan crossed his arms and exclaimed as softly as he could, "Of course I'm upset, Prince Adam! You know as well as I do that the Royal Family has an image to uphold, not to mention my duties have been interrupted all day having to address this nonsense. I simply wanted to confirm that it isn't true, so I can ask the king to make an official announcement to stop all of the madness circulating throughout the kingdom. It's already made its way onto the streets of Eternos."

Adam glanced at Teela and she was looking right back at him with a lifted brow. "Uh, I wouldn't advise that," he whispered even softer.

Roldan ceased all movement and asked, "Why?"

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, debating with himself, and then replied, "My father has an important announcement to make soon, so you should wait on that."

Roldan's jaw immediately dropped. He looked back and forth between the prince and Teela several times before he turned to the throne and called out, interrupting the proceedings, "Your Majesty, may I approach you? I need to discuss a matter of upmost importance with you."

"Yes, Chancellor. You may ascend the throne," King Randor answered with a wrinkled forehead. Adam could tell his father was just as confused as he had been. Usually, Roldan stayed quiet and never interrupted while the king ran things.

As Roldan moved to his parents and his father stood up, Teela grabbed his arm and hissed, "Adam, why would he be upset about our engagement?"

He sought to reassure her. "I don't think he's upset about our engagement, per se. I think it's more of a case that he's thinking it's a lie, so he wants to do damage control. Roldan is in charge of handling how things appear to the masses on the political front, among other things. I'm sure when he learns that it's true, he'll be okay with it, not that we need his approval, of course."

He watched with interest as the chancellor and king began to speak spiritedly with one another and move their hands frantically every so often. Then, with a shocked expression, Roldan spun and looked at Teela before the king grabbed him to make the chancellor face him again.

"Okay," Adam said, watching this for a moment more, "maybe there is something else going on, here."

Teela slipped her fingers through his and he tightened his hold on her. He smiled and shrugged. "Regardless, it's not going to change anything. You're my wife."

Teela bit her lip for several seconds before muttering, "Yeah, but I don't want to be the cause of any problems."

Quickly, Adam looked at her and reassured her, "You won't be. I'm sure he's just perturbed about the fact that he didn't know ahead of time."

She nodded as Orko floated over to Adam. The Trollan had his eyes glued to the throne, so he literally floated right into the prince's head.

"Orko!" Adam complained softly.

He snapped his attention to Adam and exclaimed, "Oh, gosh! Sorry, Adam! I wasn't paying attention!"

The jester looked back at the throne and Adam remembered that Orko had incredible hearing, so he could hear what was being said. "Is there something going on that I should know about?" he asked.

Orko glanced at Teela hesitantly before he floated to Adam's ear and whispered, "Get her out of here, Adam."

He widened his eyes immediately and without hesitation turned to Man-at-Arms. "Take Teela to my bedchambers and stay with her!"

"What?!" Teela and Duncan asked simultaneously, clearly confused.

At that same moment, the king pointed at Adam and gestured for him to join their conversation. He whipped his head towards Duncan and ordered, "Just do it, okay! I'll be there soon to let you know what's going on!"

Without any more words, Man-at-Arms grabbed Teela and pulled her from the throne room. She complained the entire way, but Adam didn't pay attention. Already, as he ascended the throne, his mind was coming up with forty million reasons why his father would want to speak with him currently and why Orko would want him to make Teela leave the room. He knew regardless of the answer, he wouldn't like it.


	56. Worries Renew

Teela's Visitor Chapter 56

The look that had settled on King Randor's face was enough to tell Adam that something was horribly wrong. His mother had a similar expression before it morphed into one of concern while he approached.

He reached his father's side and couldn't help the glare that he shot Roldan.

King Randor immediately noticed the look and slipped a calming hand on his son's shoulder and squeezed it. "Son, we have a problem."

Adam turned his eyes to the king and didn't utter a word. He wanted to hear what the problem was before he responded. He could tell his father took whatever this was very seriously.

The king sighed and said, "The news of your suite being cleaned out has reached the people. It has even reached other kingdoms." He paused for a second and stared at his son intently. It was obvious he was waiting for some kind of reaction, so Adam gave him one.

He shrugged. "Yes. We've already discussed this—you knew the news would get out quickly when you made the order. Surely, you also knew it would get make people talk."

"Yes, but I didn't expect this."

Adam turned his gaze to the people at court. They were staring back at him and he could tell not all the faces were friendly. There were some obviously angry faces. Their brows were furrowed, their lips were downturned in scorn, and their postures were tense, almost as if they were ready at a moment's notice for a fight.

He looked back at the king and asked, "What's going on, Father?"

Randor closed his eyes for a moment and then simply stated the problem. "Some are going to try to oppose your union with Teela today if I announce an engagement."

"What?" Adam exclaimed. "Why? Teela is well-liked by our people. You know that as well as I do. There is no reason why they should suddenly dislike her!"

Roldan stepped closer and explained, "It's not exactly coming from your people, Prince Adam."

The prince studied the crowd once more to look for nobles who were from other kingdoms. He didn't see any and was about to say precisely that when Roldan mumbled, "Some members of the aristocracy have been complaining about Teela since your courtship was announced. Some of the guards have told me that dukes, duchesses, and members of your own court and of others are going to insist on Teela taking the test of purity. They believe she won't pass the test and considering what your father just told me, she won't."

Adam squeezed his eyes shut and started breathing deeply to calm himself.

"Adam," Queen Marlena said, laying a hand on his wrist. "It's going to work out. It will just take a little time…"

"Time?" he questioned, opening his eyes and glaring at her sharply. "Mother, we don't have _time_! Teela is pregnant. Remember, we have a timeline to worry about, as well." He turned his eyes to his father once more and said, "So bottom line, the common citizens accept Teela but not our court and the aristocracy of other kingdoms." He shook his head as he gritted his teeth. "I'll fix that."

"What? Adam, what are you doing?" King Randor asked.

Adam turned to the court and said loudly, "I have something I would like to say to all of you."

The room quickly dropped into a deep silence. Not even a dress ruffled as everyone looked up at their prince. This was the first time he had addressed them from the throne, so everyone knew his words would be important.

"Son," Randor said, touching his back and trying to quiet him.

Adam merely moved over to slide his father's hand away. He didn't show any fear. He held his head high and his crown caught the light in a way which made it shine outward for the attendants to gawk at. Placing his hands behind his back instinctively, much like his father did while he was reprimanding his sometimes wayward son, the prince announced, "It has come to my attention that some of you oppose my relationship with Lady Teela."

Immediately, a mumble was heard, but it quickly ceased when Adam's voice rang out. "Silence! It is my turn to speak! I know of your opinion and now you will listen to mine!"

He noticed that some people in the crowd smiled almost as if they were proud while others were in danger of having their eyeballs leave their sockets at any moment. With half the people's jaws figuratively on the floor, he stated plainly, "The rumors that you have heard are true: Teela and I are engaged to be married. I have heard that some of you are questioning her integrity and her virtuousness. I want all of you here to know right now that Teela is faithful to me and only me, and…"

A voice rang out from the throne room floor. "How do you know, Prince Adam? Everyone in the kingdom knows Malik and she were together in her school years! She's a common whore and we will not have that as our princess and future queen!"

Adam's eyes widened significantly as he searched the crowd. He could feel heat rush throughout his body as he tried to find the face that would go with that voice. When he couldn't find anyone, he cried out, "Who said that? I would like to see the person I'm addressing."

He almost fell flat on his butt when Lady Amanda stepped forward. She was Lord Henry's daughter and they were friends. He was guilty of flirting with her and her best friend several times in the past, and he had already learned recently that those actions had been a mistake when he accidentally slipped into her mind and discovered she wanted to touch him in some _very_ inappropriate places. Still, he never thought she would make a formal complaint and question Teela's integrity like this regardless of any jealousy.

He walked down the throne despite his parents' call for him to stop. He stepped in front of her and said calmly but loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Lady Amanda…"

He paused when he noticed that several men and women walked out of the group to stand directly behind her. It was a clear sign of support. He wasn't surprised to see her father's face among the crowd, but there was one that made him take a startled step back: Durriken.

The oracle smiled as Adam gritted his teeth. The prince then announced, keeping his eyes on his newest adversary, "Captain Teela has already undergone the test of purity and passed with flying colors! I tell you this only to save myself a lot of headache and to stop gossip from spreading throughout the city; however, from this point forward, if _anyone_ questions Teela's faithfulness to me or the throne of Eternia, they will answer _personally_ to me!"

Adam ran his eyes slowly over the crowd silently daring anyone to say anything to contradict him. When his eyes settled on Durriken once more, he walked over to him and stated firmly, "You and I need to talk." He gestured towards the throne room doors and they both moved to leave. Once again, Adam heard his parents calling out to him, but he ignored them. He had to stop Durriken and now he had the opportunity to talk with him one-on-one.

=)=)=)

"What was that?" Adam demanded as soon as they had gone several feet away from the throne room entrance.

Durriken stared at him with a blank expression and replied, "I have no idea what you mean. I just came to court…"

Adam shook his head furiously for a moment and explained angrily, "You are responsible for this! I don't know how: I don't know if you simply spread the rumor or used some kind of spell, but you're trying to tarnish Teela's reputation and I _will not_ allow that! You know as well as I do what the truth really is!"

Durriken folded his arms and asked, "And, what is the truth, Prince Adam? That Teela stole Eternia's future right from under them? If the people knew what I know, they'd oppose this marriage for more reasons than they had in there!"

Adam squinted his face in anger and raised his voice sharply, "I've already spoken with King Moraius and Princess Janice, Durriken! They agree with me! They do not want Morgoth or Skeletor involved in any of this! Janice accepts that I have moved forward with my life, and it is time for you to do so, as well. If we all work together instead of fighting for a future that is long gone, we can get through whatever stands in our path and succeed! Surely, you see that!"

"Why should we face an unknown future when we know we have the ability to fix the one we know about?"

Adam wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab Durriken, force him to the wall, and make him listen…but he refrained himself. "It is too late! I love Teela and she's carrying my child. There's no way I'm going to let you do anything to jeopardize my marriage or my son's life."

"What?" the oracle cried in complete shock.

Adam frowned and questioned, "How can you not know that? You've known everything else: the future with Janice, my marriage, our consummation… How can you not know about A.J.?"

Suddenly, Durriken laughed and the sound sent shivers up and down Adam's spine. He knew that laugh anywhere and the face that usually made it did not match the one that was in front of him now. Within seconds, a flash occurred as soon as Durriken held up a wand, which turned into Skeletor's Havoc Staff.

Gasping, Adam tried to take a step back but found the act impossible. Beastman and Tri-Klops appeared behind him and grabbed onto his arms tightly.

Skeletor chuckled in amusement and said, "This is even better than what I was told. So, Teela, Captain of the Royal Guard, is already wedded and impregnated by Prince Adam! This is more than I had hoped for!" He chuckled again before asking, "Where is your wife, fool?"

Adam shook his head and answered, "I'll never tell and you won't touch a hair on her head. I promise you that."

"My, my!" Skeletor replied. "The cowardly pup has a bark; I wonder if he also has a bite." He slapped Adam's cheek playfully a few times and explained, "I merely want to speak with her and maybe invite her to Snake Mountain to celebrate the joyous occasion." When he laughed again, Adam had heard enough. He didn't want to give them even the slightest opportunity to get to Teela. Using Beastman and Tri-Klops as a back brace, he brought his legs up and kicked Skeletor away from him.

Instantly, the villain was on the floor and rolling. Also, the force of Adam's push sent his two captors to the floor, as well, and he fell on top of them. Without hesitation, he got up and took off running down the hall, but not before he heard members of the Guard yell out, "It's Skeletor! STOP!"

He heard the sounds of freeze rays, so he kept running. As soon as he turned the corner, he quickly grabbed the Sword of Power and turned into He-Man!

=)=)=)

By the time He-Man ran back to Skeletor, already the palace alarm had been sounded. Ironically, the sound of reinforcements made him worry. He wondered if Man-at-Arms would be able to keep Teela in his bedchambers. Then, he worried if Duncan would decide to leave her alone and come to help him. If Duncan decided to do that, he knew more than likely his impetuous wife would sneak out to help, as well. Now, he was worried about fighting Skeletor and his men and protecting Teela all at the same time. He prayed to the Ancients that she would keep her promise and not put herself in any dangerous situations.

But he couldn't dwell on that anymore, because he had to stop Skeletor. The longer Skeletor and his men stayed in the palace, the greater chance he had of finding her. So, He-Man stepped closer to his nemesis and tried to get his attention.

Skeletor stood in the middle of the chaos, watching Beastman, Tri-Klops, and several of his robots fighting the Guard. Eventually, his attention settled on He-Man when a robot flew past, narrowly missing him. He laughed at the hero, who had obviously thrown the bot, and stated simply, "No fight today, He-Man. I got what I came for. Tell Prince Adam and the Captain of the Guard they will be hearing from me soon!" He laughed again as his men and he disappeared within a matter of seconds.

As soon as they were gone, He-Man leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Skeletor had stated that he had what he came for—what in the world was that? Regardless, Skeletor obviously had designs on his wife now. The villain knew more than he should and it was more than He-Man could bear to think about.

"Is everyone all right?" he heard his father call out. He opened his eyes to see King Randor and Roldan stepping out of the throne room. Their eyes met, but He-Man didn't say anything. He merely turned around and left. He didn't want to spend his time assuring the King of Eternia that everything was fine when it really wasn't. Instead, he had somewhere more important to be.

=)=)=)

He-Man stepped into his bedchambers cautiously. He had made sure no one else was in the hall to see him enter. Once he was completely inside the room and had shut the door, he saw Man-at-Arms rise from one of his chairs near the wall. Teela was out on the balcony and obviously hadn't heard him enter since her back was to him.

She was no longer in her formal attire. She was in her uniform and he wondered if she had changed to join the battle. He glanced over at Duncan and mouthed, "Thank you." He presumed her father had stopped her.

The elder nodded as He-Man lifted his sword and turned back into Adam. Slowly, he walked across the room and ignored Man-at-Arms' concerned looks. He knew the man wanted to know what had happened, but at that particular moment, he simply wanted to confirm that Teela was really there and okay.

He stepped onto the balcony and as quietly as he could, he walked behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. Instantly, she jumped and cried out in alarm, but he merely buried his face in her neck and breathed in her soft flowery scent. "Praise the Ancients you're all right," he mumbled. He ran his hands over her abdomen tenderly to show he was happy A.J. was fine, too. "You're in your uniform," he then observed aloud.

She turned in his arms slowly and replied, "I changed because I heard the alarm and was about to go out there to help you…but then I remembered my promise. Father wouldn't let me go, anyway." She placed her arms around his waist. "Adam, I have never been more terrified in my life than I was a few moments ago. I never knew how hard simply waiting could be: waiting to hear if everything turned out for the best, waiting to hear if my husband was still alive, waiting to hear your voice and see your face again…" She brushed her fingers against his cheek softly. "What on Eternia happened?"

"Skeletor," he whispered. "He knows, Teela; he knows everything. He knows about our marriage, A.J. and Morgoth. I have no doubt in my mind that he's going to come after you."

Teela hugged her husband tightly. "I'm okay, Adam, and I'm going to continue to be okay. You seem to forget that even if Skeletor wants to kidnap or hurt me, that doesn't mean he'll succeed. Remember who you're married to."

Adam pulled back slightly and kissed her forehead. "I know you're a great fighter, Teela, but you're my life now…you and A.J. If something should happen to either one of you, it would kill me. I don't think I could bear it, and what would happen to Eternia after that?"

Adam was startled when he felt a person grab his shoulder tightly. He glanced behind him and saw Man-at-Arms' determined eyes. "He won't succeed, Adam. He won't get anywhere near Teela or A.J., I promise you that. First of all, I want both of you to move into your suite tonight or at least spend the night elsewhere from now on."

"What?" they questioned.

He motioned around them. "The access to your bedchamber is too easy here from the outside. All Beastman would need is a Shrieker. At least in your suite, there are multiple rooms and there's a chance you could escape in the chaos of them trying to find you."

Adam quickly nodded. "It's a good idea. I'll talk to my father about it."

"We'll also need to step up security. Teela, you will need a regular bodyguard when Adam isn't around." He paused for a second and turned to Adam. "When you sent us here, did you know Skeletor was about to attack?"

He shook his head. "No, Orko was listening to Roldan and Father. He told me to get Teela out of the room and I trusted his judgment. I still don't know exactly what Orko heard to make him respond in such a way, but he evidently thought the throne room would erupt into chaos soon and he was right." He pulled his wife to him tightly and mumbled, "Some of the court is opposing our engagement. They want you to undergo the test of purity."

She gasped, but he rolled his eyes and continued, "But it doesn't matter. I handled it. I told them you already had one and passed. They know now that if I even think they are insinuating that your integrity is less what than it is, they will answer to me."

Man-at-Arms interrupted by suggesting, "And, you can tell the court that Teela will have proof that she was pure on her wedding day, as well."

When they raised their brows, he smiled and said, "If they press the issue, it's something to say that isn't a lie. King Randor and Haelan can verify it. After all, Teela really did have the test performed on her wedding day."

Teela cocked her head to the side a little and admitted, "It isn't a bad idea." She looked down at the floor, and Adam knew she was hiding her face from him. Whether she was sad or angry about it, he didn't know. As for him…he was livid and the feeling only got stronger the more he thought about it.

He pursed his lips and stated angrily, "Well, I don't feel the need to justify anything to them! What matters is what I think and know! Teela is my wife, not theirs!"

Man-at-Arms patted him on the back and said, "Teela will be their princess and queen one day. You know what that means, Adam. It isn't fair, I know, but Teela's life will no longer be her own completely once she becomes Princess of Eternia. You know that."

He sighed and mumbled, "Why can't anything ever happen on its own? We have Durriken, Morgoth, and Skeletor to worry about. Now, I have to worry about my own court and allies from other kingdoms trying to sabotage my marriage! At least King Moraius is on our side again…I think. I don't even know that for sure." He dropped his hands from Teela and rubbed his face wearily. He looked at his wife and said, "Not to mention, I have to figure out how to be a good husband to you and a good father to A.J. I don't mind the latter so much, but is there anything else we can add onto the pile?"

They remained quiet for a few seconds until Teela supplied, "Well, we do have to handle your mother and her zeal for our upcoming wedding and my coronation. That's going to be stressful and time-consuming…"

Adam closed his eyes and then started laughing. He seriously needed to at that particular moment, too. "When I asked that, I was being facetious, Teela, but you're right." He chuckled a little more.

Duncan squeezed his shoulder and said, "I'm going to go talk to the king and maybe Orko about all of this. We need to have a plan if Skeletor shows back up again."

Adam merely nodded as he watched Duncan leave and when he heard the door shut, he bent down to kiss his wife's lips chastely. He didn't say anything when he pulled away. He merely stepped back and reached for her hand. Once he led her inside the bedroom, he sat her down on the bed and stood in front of her with his hands resting on his hips. He could tell she was aware that he had something to say.

Eventually, he shared his idea. "I was thinking that maybe I should take that trip to Etheria now."

Teela arched an eyebrow and replied, "I thought we agreed that you would go tomorrow."

He nodded reluctantly and began to pace the room. "Yeah, well, that was before Skeletor showed up. I just think that it's likely he won't attack the palace again so soon, so it's wise to go now. I also think it's a good idea to catch my sister up on everything that's happening. After all, I have no doubt in my mind that she will want to help, and the sooner we can get her in on this, the better things will be." He kissed her softly and then sat beside her to hold her hand. "Not to mention, she's my sister, so she should have known about you and A.J. long before now. She's going to kill me for not telling her sooner."

Teela shrugged as she looked down at her lap. "If you think that's what you need to do right now, then do it."

He turned to face her quizzically and raised a hand to her cheek to get her attention. "Hey, if you don't want me to go…"

She sighed loudly and replied, "Oh, Adam, it's not that. It's just…I'm still fighting the impulse to not let you out of my sight."

He grinned and said informatively, "Well, I would ask you to come with me, but I actually think it's safer at the palace. Like I said, I don't think Skeletor will attack again so soon. And, as for Etheria, the dimensional gate places me outside the Whispering Woods. It's possible the Horde could be in the vicinity, and like I told you earlier, I don't want to put you or A.J. in any dangerous situations. I'm just going there, telling Adora what's going on, and then coming back. She can make the decision to come back with me or join us at another time. I just…feel like I need to tell her now."

She nodded and whispered, "Then, go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll get back."

He wrinkled his brow and mumbled, "Teela, what's wrong? You're being kind of…I don't know how to describe it! Brisk? I can tell you're not angry with me, but…" He flailed his hands in the air to show his confusion.

She shrugged and admitted, "I don't know what's wrong, Adam. I just feel so…angry, left out, vulnerable, and sad. I want you to stay, but I know I would feel the exact same way tomorrow, so you might as well just pick a time and go. Time isn't going to change my mood, I think."

Adam placed his hand on her abdomen and asked, "Do you think A.J. could be affecting your mood so soon?"

She placed her hand over his and shook his head. "Biochemically? No. Mentally? Possibly. I already told you that I'm scared to death that I'm going to lose you and that I'd have to raise A.J. without you. Not to mention, watching you run off to save the day while I stay locked away in your bedchamber when that used to be my life, too…it's hard."

Adam nodded. "Yes, I suspected that not being able to go to battle would hit you kind of hard eventually, but Teela…"

She jumped off the bed and exclaimed, "I know, Adam, I know! I know my absence is for the best! I don't want to do anything that would hurt you or A.J.! It's just that sometimes I feel like I could control the outcome of the battle if I were there with you. I wouldn't feel the uselessness that I feel now. At the very least, I would feel like I was doing something to contribute to the greater good. As things stand now, I feel like a burden and…"

Adam jumped up from the bed and stopped her frantic movements by grabbing her by the shoulders. He smiled in an attempt to calm her and stated forcefully, "Teela, you most certainly are _not_ a burden! Not even close! And, look at it like this, you _are_ contributing to Eternia's future." He placed a hand on her abdomen again and rubbed it affectionately. "You're carrying the future King of Eternia. You are giving the people their next heir. That may not seem like a lot to some, but it truly is. Do you realize that kingdoms fall apart when there is no heir? People become chaotic and wonder what the future is going to hold for them and their children when they realize that they might not have a leader to take care of them. You are ensuring the future of Eternos and the entire planet right now, just sitting in this bedchamber. If I died today, people would be fortified to know that you were carrying A.J."

She shook her head and scolded, "Don't be silly, Adam! That…that would devastate everyone and frankly, I don't want you talking like this!"

"But it's true!" Adam exclaimed. "Yes, people would be saddened by my death, but they would be grateful that the royal bloodline would be continuing! It would bring comfort in a way. At least I would know you weren't alone and that you'd have a piece of me." He shrugged.

Tears swarmed to Teela's eyes and whispered, "Please stop talking like this, Adam!" She wrapped her arms around him abruptly and buried her face in his chest.

He widened his eyes in a panic and held her to him tightly. "Whoa, Teela! It's okay! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you…" He pulled away a little so he could stare into her eyes. She tried to look away to hide her face, but he touched her cheek with one hand and made her look at him. When she stopped struggling, he whispered, "I'm okay and I'm going to continue to be okay. I'm not leaving you, I promise. I was just trying to make you feel like you are doing something important because you are. But even if you don't want to think about that, just think about what you do _for_ _me_. You are the one keeping me sane right now, Teela! Everything is going crazy around us right now. I don't know what's going to happen next. I have no idea how to stop Skeletor from releasing Morgoth. I don't know what's going on with Durriken, and yet, just knowing that I have you and A.J., I'm happy despite all of it. And, I know that we'll succeed in protecting the kingdom and the Sorceress, because it will ensure _our_ continued happiness. I'm not going to let anything or anyone tear this family apart. I just need for you to be on board with me. I can't worry about protecting you and the planet at the same time. I need to know that you're already safe, so I can focus on what I need to do. _That_ will keep me safe. Understand?"

When she nodded and began to sniffle, he pulled her back into his arms. "I know you're frightened about losing me and raising A.J. alone. I know some of this stems from the fact that you don't know how good of a mother you'll be…Teela, you're the best person I know. You have such a good heart and look at what you're already sacrificing for me and A.J. I know it's a lot. That shows what kind of mother you'll be…

Teela pulled away and almost shouted, "This isn't _just_ about that, Adam! Yes, I worry about how good of a mother I'll be, but I love you! That's what this boils down to! In just a short period of time, my whole life has changed and I can't imagine being without you! I'm nervous that something might happen while I'm not there to protect you. I'm worried that Durriken will succeed in releasing Morgoth and change the past. I'm scared to death that I might never realize that we found each other and that we were truly happy. All of this frightens me, Adam! That's why I don't want you out of my sight! That's why I want to be out there fighting with you! I want to do all that I can to ensure that the right outcome occurs, but I can't. I know that."

Adam pulled Teela into his tight embrace once more. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I don't want you out of my sight either, Teela, but we can't let our fears stop us from living and doing what's right. That would surely be our downfall if we allowed that to happen."

When he felt her nod, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I'm going to go to Etheria to talk to my sister." He then smiled mischievously and winked. "And, when I get back, we can go christen our new suite since it will be our first night over there. What do you say?"

"ADAM!" she exclaimed and he laughed. She slapped him playfully on the chest. He knew that would be her response, because he knew she would undoubtedly want to cheer him up as much as he wanted to make her feel better. He chuckled when she then asked in mock sternness, "Is that all you think about nowadays?"

His smile widened into a grin and he answered truthfully, "No, but it's definitely high on the list."


	57. A Heartfelt Plea

Teela's Visitor Chapter 57

Adam ran his finger lightly down Teela's cheek and neck before he leaned forward to kiss her chastely.

This was his simple goodbye before he headed to Castle Grayskull. He needed to speak with Adora about everything that had been happening recently and he knew now was the ideal time to make his trip to Etheria. He knew Teela wasn't too happy about his departure, but he set her on a task that would hopefully keep her busy until he got back.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" he asked when he pulled his lips from hers.

She nodded and replied, "It's a good idea. Besides, if I do it, that means we can go straight to bed when it's time to turn in." Her gaze grew hungry as she raked her eyes down his body and back up.

He grinned wickedly in response to her actions and commented huskily, "Good. Then, I need to get going, so I can hurry and get back." He pulled away from her slowly, and Teela held on to his hand the entire time and let go gradually. When their fingertips no longer touched, he kept his eyes on hers, let his arm drop unhurriedly, and whispered, "I love you." When she repeated the sentiment, he turned around abruptly, walked outside his bedchambers, and shut the door firmly.

He had made his final exit attempt as quickly as he could since parting from his wife was starting to get unbearable. He didn't want to do it, but it was a must. At least what she was doing now gave him something to look forward to: he had made the suggestion that while he was gone, she should gather things out of their bedchambers to move into their suite. After all, they didn't want to run back and forth from the suite to their bedchambers in the morning after they spent the night there for the first time. It increased their chances of getting caught by maids or other palace employees, so it was something to avoid.

Walking away, he immediately headed outside so he could find a Windraider for his trip. He thought momentarily about taking the time to find Cringer, but since the tiger hadn't been present at court, Adam figured he was out with Casidhe again. There was no point in keeping both of them away from their significant others, so he decided to go alone. Besides, he had no intention of staying on Etheria long.

=)=)=)

The atmosphere around Castle Grayskull was intense: the skies were darker than normal. Lightning and thunder crackled around him as he stepped out of the Windraider and made his way towards the drawbridge. It immediately lowered itself so that Adam didn't even have to stop in his stride. Because of this, he was a little surprised to discover that the Sorceress was not there to greet him as soon as he stepped inside.

The drawbridge immediately upped itself and slammed shut as soon as his feet touched the castle's floor. "Sorceress?" Adam questioned as everything darkened around him. Never before had he had this experience, so he felt a little nervous.

When the Sorceress did not respond to him in any way, he started making his way forward through the darkness, even though it was hard. Stumbling a couple of times simply because he could barely see, he complained aloud, "Could I at least have a little light in here?"

It was almost like the castle had been waiting for the command, because torches that were spread throughout the corridors sparked to life. He paused for a moment and looked around uneasily. Truthfully, at that moment, he wouldn't have been surprised to see Skeletor step out of a darkened corner. That's how eerie the castle felt.

"Sorceress?" he called out again. When no reply was heard once more, he hurriedly made his way to the throne room. What he saw once he got there made him sigh in relief. The Sorceress, who seemed to be in some sort of trance, was standing in front of her mirror, which merely showed a hazy film that almost looked like smoke.

"Sorceress?" he repeated softly. Knowing what might happen considering what had happened the last time he had been here and the Sorceress had zone out, he reached out to touch her shoulder. He had the idea that he might be able to read her thoughts to know what was going on.

When the Sorceress suddenly turned to stare at him as a result, he gasped and jumped a little.

"Sorceress!" he exclaimed. "You scared me half to death!"

She smiled apologetically and replied, "I'm sorry, Prince Adam. I did not hear you until you were directly behind me. I was…concentrating."

He looked at the mirror and saw that they could now see their reflections. "What's going on? What were you concentrating on?"

"The future," she answered, and Adam immediately noticed the trepidation in her voice as she said the words.

Taking a deep breath, he asked anxiously, "Any changes?"

The Sorceress sighed. "Yes, but I do not know what they are yet." When he arched his brow, she explained, "It is as it was before—I can no longer see it."

Adam felt like he needed to sit down, so he immediately turned around and went to the throne's steps.

As soon as he lowered himself, the Sorceress stood before him and said, "I saw what happened earlier. Skeletor knows about Morgoth and A.J."

Adam immediately brought both hands to his face before crying, "Did I make things worse?" He brought his hands down and continued, "Please don't tell me that I've just sealed Eternia's fate, along with my child's and my marriage's. I couldn't bear it."

The Sorceress sighed as she sat beside him and patted his knee. "The future is forever changing, Adam. I told you that. So, even if it is changing to something we won't like, it doesn't mean that it will stay that way. Also, who knows why it's changing! It might be changing because of Skeletor's knowledge, but it might be changing because of your decision to tell Adora what's going on."

Adam looked at her hopefully and said, "You will tell me if it's something negative, right?" He knew she had this thing about not telling him more than he needed to know, but surely if it was negative, she would make an exception…

She nodded without hesitation, so he felt a little bit better.

"So, you're here to go to Etheria," the Sorceress observed as she stood. Obviously, she was trying to get him back on track of what he should be doing instead of fretting over what might happen in the future.

He got to his feet and replied, "Yes. I think Adora needs to know about A.J., my marriage, and everything else. I should have included her long before now."

The Sorceress nodded as she motioned with her hands to step back into the corridor.

Adam didn't wait on the Sorceress to get ahead of him since he already knew the way to the Halls of Worlds, as they had come to call it. Behind every door down those particular corridors was a dimensional gate that led to another world. So many—most of them, in fact—were unexplored. The only reason they had discovered the one that led to Etheria was because the Sword of Protection had led the Sorceress to it not all that long ago.

He remained quiet for several moments as he made his way downstairs. He could hear the Sorceress following him, so he didn't turn around. It wasn't until he was in front of the Etherian door that he turned to her and stated what was on his mind. "The future is changing," he said calmly, going back to their earlier topic. "What do you think? Do you think it's changing because of Skeletor or Adora?"

"Adam, there's no way for me to know…" she began, but he cut her off.

"I'm quite aware that you don't know for sure, Sorceress. I want to know what you think! I have come to trust your instincts and hunches more than some people's facts, so please tell me!"

The Sorceress sighed and stated sadly, "If I had to take a guess, I would have to say that it's changing because of what Skeletor now knows."

Adam closed his eyes and wrinkled his face as if he were in pain.

The Sorceress continued to speak. "He now knows that Teela is pregnant. In my opinion, he might find capturing her and A.J. more appealing that altering the past. After all, he could do a lot more with a princess and an eventual heir to the throne than bringing another rival onto the planet to compete with."

Adam nodded slowly. Those were his thoughts, as well. He then looked down at the ground and mumbled, "We can't let that happen, Sorceress. We have to do something to prevent it. And, what's going on with Durriken? Does he still wish to release Morgoth?"

She frowned. "I think he does, but I have no way of knowing that right now, Adam. And as for preventing it, you know I will do all that I can."

Adam bit his lip and asked hesitantly, "I'm not saying we should do this right away or at all, but if it comes down to it, can Teela…well, can she…stay here if I need her to in the future?"

The Sorceress widened her eyes in shock. It was obvious that she hadn't expected his request. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of it until that very moment, but he saw the sense in it.

Her response, though—the obvious astonishment—didn't stop him from continuing with his entreaty. "I know how awkward that would be for you, Sorceress, to have your daughter under your roof after all this time, but I need to protect her. If things get worse, Castle Grayskull might be the only option we have to stop Skeletor, Durriken, and Morgoth from reaching her. I don't know what to expect, so we might need to plan for the worst."

The Sorceress remained quiet for a few moments before revealing, "Adam, you have the right to bring anyone here that you wish at any time. You know as well as I do that the castle obeys you, as it does He-Man. Just like I could not oust your friend, Kol Dar, when you let him inside these walls, I cannot stop you from bringing Teela, if you so wish. This castle was created by your ancestor. The very powers that you and I have come from your ancestors. If the castle had to choose if we had a differing opinion, I'm not entirely sure that it would align itself with me regardless of the fact that I'm its guardian."

Adam was more than a little surprised at her words on so many different levels. First of all, he was surprised to hear about the power she thought he held over the castle. He surely didn't know he had any. Sure, he commanded the drawbridge to lower every once in a while, and yes, he had let Kol Dar inside and the Sorceress could not use the castle's defenses to get him out since he had been the one to invite him inside, but he had never considered the possibility that his "influence" could go any further than that.

Then, he remembered the torches igniting earlier when he had asked the castle sarcastically for light… Maybe he did have some influence!

But then he frowned. While the revelation was interesting and he would think about it a little later, he was not overly enthused with her response. He had asked if Teela could stay in the castle and the Sorceress' response was that she couldn't stop him. She never answered what _she_ felt on the matter! He looked at the Sorceress with narrowed eyes and asked, "Does that mean she can stay only because you don't have a choice in the matter?"

Once more, the Sorceress widened her eyes. She looked up at the ceiling and then replied, "That's not what I meant at all, Prince Adam. Teela is my daughter, so I seek to protect her just as much as you do. If staying here is the best way to ensure her safety, then of course, I have no qualms in letting her stay…but I do fear the ramifications." She turned from him and said, "It would be hard to have her here. She stayed in the castle when she was a baby for only a short period of time before I decided to remove her from all the dangers that exist. To have her living with me now, it would give me a taste of what I missed out on all these years. Also, I know one day that I will have to tell Teela who she really is and who I am. Her being in the castle might hasten that revelation. The castle might start interacting with her as it does me and you. She's going to be curious about why if it does. She already questioned why the castle had once chosen her to be its guardian in my absence. Being here might bring that question up again. I'm not sure if I'm ready to give answers…but then again, I might never be."

She turned to Adam when she felt him touch her shoulder. He whispered softly, "This is actually something I've been meaning to talk with you about, anyway." He took a deep breath and then ventured to say what was really on his mind in regards to the Sorceress and Teela's relationship. "I know this is truly none of my business. This decision was made before I was even born, I realize that, but Teela is my wife and I see every day, especially since we got married, how much not having her mother in her life affects her."

"Adam," the Sorceress said beseechingly.

He knew she didn't want to hear this—that it would make things harder on her—but he had to do it. "No, you need to hear this. I know how painful it will be for you, but you need to know what she's going through if you don't already." He looked down for a moment and then revealed, "She longs for you. That's the only way I know how to describe it. She worries about being a good mother, because she thinks she never had one. Even though Teela is the proudest and most self-reliant person I know, your decision has had lasting effects on her self-esteem. I can tell that she questions whether she is worthy of love since her own mother abandoned her. She needs to know it wasn't by choice. She needs to understand that you truly never left her. I think that would help her to adjust to A.J.'s arrival." He sighed and shook his head when he looked up only to see the Sorceress avoid his gaze. "I know this sounds selfish of me. I know it sounds like I'm only trying to push the issue for A.J.'s sake, but I assure you that's not my only reason. I know you want to tell her and she wants to know. What is holding you back now? I can understand why you didn't tell her as a child. She would probably have shown up here all the time to see you. Everyone would have wondered why you had such a close connection and someone might have guessed or stumbled upon the truth…but she's an adult now. She's strong and she can handle it. I truly believe it would help her in the long run even though she might be angry at first."

When Adam remained silent for almost a minute, the Sorceress finally looked at him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "Maybe it is time to tell her." When he opened his mouth to agree, she raised a hand and continued, "But first thing's first, you need to go to Adora to tell her what's going on, and I need to continue to watch for any signs of the future. We'll continue this discussion at another time when everything's calmed down."

He nodded reluctantly in agreement. He didn't think they should waste too much time not telling her, but he knew it was a big step for the Sorceress, so he wouldn't argue. At least she was considering it and that would have to be enough for now.

He turned back towards the Etherian door and the Sorceress held up her hand to open it. The dimensional gate shined brightly and he didn't hesitate to enter it.


	58. What's Wrong, Everyone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, for once, AO3 gets the chapter first since fanfiction.net is down! URGH! So frustrating! In any case, enjoy!

Teela’s Visitor Chapter 58

Unlike so many other times, Adam wasn’t genuinely happy about his trip to Etheria. Usually, he would be near ecstatic or at least joyous that he would have the opportunity once again to see his long lost twin. Adora and he were still in the process of getting to know one another, so they usually valued the opportunities when they could get together. Sure, they already had a close relationship—he couldn’t imagine them being any closer when it came to sibling affections—but he still had almost twenty years’ worth of knowledge to catch up on.

Despite that, he really didn’t want to be there. He wanted to be back on Eternia with his wife. He wanted to be in their new bedchamber, making sweet and passionate love to her. He wanted to run his hands over Teela’s quite beautifully responsive body and kiss her abdomen which protected their growing son. Quite simply, he wanted to be on his honeymoon right now…

He knew he was being unfair and that he had better brighten his disposition at least a little. He didn’t want to alarm Adora too much, even though he did consider some of his news dire. At least, he would be glad to see his sister. That was a genuine emotion that he had at the moment. He just wished he was only there to tell her about his marriage, the upcoming coronation, and A.J. That would have been ideal.

“ _Maybe that should be the only things I tell her_ ,” he thought to himself hesitantly. Then, he dismissed the thought entirely. No, he needed to tell her everything. They never hid anything from one another and he wasn’t about to start now. Besides, if she was able and wanted to help him, he wasn’t too proud to admit that he needed it.

Adam walked away from the dimensional gate and made his way towards the Whispering Woods. The quicker he could get there, the quicker he could find his sister and tell her everything. He could only hope that the Horde was behaving today.

=)=)=)

Walking into camp, Adam sighed when he saw that the camp was alive with movement. People were running around everywhere, grabbing weapons and boxes of unknown supplies. “ _It figures; it really does_ ,” he commented to himself silently.

He ran his eyes over the grounds hurriedly trying to spot his sister as Adora or She-Ra. He didn’t know which to expect considering the chaos in front of him. As he searched to the right of him, he was suddenly relieved to hear someone yelling his name enthusiastically from the opposite side.

“ADAM! ADAM!”

He turned in the direction of the voice and smiled happily as his sister practically sprinted towards him. As usual, just as Adora reached him, she paused momentarily so they could simply grin at one another before clutching the other tightly in a huge bear hug.

“Boy, is this a surprise!” Adora exclaimed happily as she pulled away from her brother’s embrace.

Adam didn’t know quite how to respond to her. Should he exude happiness first at his merely being there? Should he show happiness to prepare her for the good news about his marriage and the arrival of her nephew? Or perhaps, he should be pensive and start off with all the problems. Or, maybe he shouldn’t say anything at all considering she was clearly having problems of her own right now. He didn’t know. As a result, he merely stared at her with a blank expression.

It only took a literal second of Adam’s silence for Adora’s expression to change abruptly. Her brow wrinkled in concern and she questioned, “Adam? What’s wrong, my brother?”

Pressing his lips firmly into a straight line, he glanced around camp. “First thing’s first, what’s wrong here?” He motioned towards all the chaos around him and Adora smiled.

“It isn’t what it looks like,” she said with a small upturn of her lips. “The camp is going to Castle Brightmoon today. We’re celebrating yet another victory over the Horde. They had tried to seize Castle Mystacore yesterday, but the Rebellion held them off. Everyone is quite proud.”

Adam was relieved to hear that the Rebels were not preparing for battle at that moment. He nodded and replied, “That’s good. I’m sure Castaspella is quite happy and grateful, as well.”

“She is,” Adora agreed. She then laughed a little and met her brother’s deep blue eyes with her own. “In fact, she is around here somewhere if you want to see her. I know your arrival would definitely brighten her day even more. She’s still mighty interested in you, brother dear.” She pinched his cheek playfully before popping it twice softly.

He knew his sister was trying to tease him. She had picked up the habit of doing so when it came to women ever since Frosta had gotten it in her head to become obsessed with He-Man. Unfortunately for him, before that time, he had flirted with Castaspella as Adam, so his sister probably thought there were some genuine feelings there. Now, he knew he had to correct that misconception and that, of course, would lead directly into his news for being there. He didn’t fight or avoid it. He simply went along with it.

“Actually, that might be a little inappropriate now,” he stated frankly. He wasn’t surprised to see her confused expression. Her eyebrows had knitted questioningly.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Adam looked around at the people surrounding them and asked, “Is there some place we can go to talk privately?”

Adora nodded instantly and turned to whistle. “Spirit,” she called out.

Within moments, the white horse appeared and Adora slipped onto its back. “Let’s go,” she said to her brother before he climbed on. Trotting at a steady pace, Spirit took them away from the camp to a stream Adam knew was in the distance.

=)=)=)

Adora leaned against Spirit’s side as the animal drank water from the river. Adam stood a couple of feet away skipping stones across the stream. Adam could feel his sister’s gaze planted firmly on him, so he knew she was wondering what was going on, but she was clearly also giving him time to gather his thoughts before the inquisition started.

After he skipped maybe his eighth rock, he finally wiped his hands on his tights and turned to look at her. As suspected, she was scrutinizing him carefully and she hadn’t tried to hide it at all once he turned towards her.

Clearing his throat, he held her eyes with his and began. “I’m sorry to come right now and interrupt a time when you should be celebrating with your friends.”

Adora arched an eyebrow instantly and stated firmly a few seconds later, “Adam, don’t you dare apologize! I gather that something’s wrong, and I want you to tell me what it is. You are far more important to me than some party. There will be others, after all, and I only have one brother.”

Adam smiled lightly and replied, “Thanks, sis.” Once again, they fell back into silence as Adam tried to figure out how to begin. As soon as he sensed Adora’s presence beside him and felt her fingers wrap around his lightly, he mumbled, “I don’t know how to say this, Adora. I’m afraid I’m not any good at making big reveals. In fact, I completely suck at it.”

Adora smiled and laughed loudly. He had no doubt that she was laughing at his terminology. This was definitely the first time he had told her that he “sucked” at something. He grinned and continued, “The truth is I have some good news and some bad news.”

“Well, let’s start with the good news,” Adora said. “I have a feeling that the bad will overshadow the good.”

He grimaced and commented, “Ancients, I hope not.”

After a few more seconds of standing there quietly, Adora tightened her hold on her brother’s hand and whispered, “What is it, brother?”

Sighing, Adam glanced over at her and said, “I’m sorry that I’m only getting around to telling you this now. I realize that I should have earlier, but things just happened so quickly. I didn’t have the time to come or anything else really…”

“Okay, Adam, I understand,” she said interrupting him. “But, just so I can keep things straight in my mind, what are we talking about? You need to tell me that first.”

He looked back at the stream in front of him and said, “The reason why it would be inappropriate for me to find Castaspella when I know she’ll flirt with me is because…” He paused for a moment, turned to his sister calmly, and revealed, “I’m married now.”

Adora stared at her brother for a second as if he had grown a second head. Then, she blinked rapidly a few times in succession. “Married?” she finally questioned. “You’re married? As in _married_ married?”

He rolled his eyes and quipped, “Yes, Adora, I don’t know of any other kind of married.”

Her mouth dropped open and Adam couldn’t tell how she felt about the news aside from the fact that she was surprised. “To whom?” she finally managed to ask.

Without hesitation, he answered, “Teela.”

Now, it was time for Adam to be surprised. Adora squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly! “Oh, Adam! That’s fantastic news!” She pulled back and exclaimed in a rush, “I was worried for a second there! My mind was jumping to all kinds of crazy conclusions. I thought maybe Father had made you marry some random girl. I know royalty do things like that from time to time. Uh…he didn’t make you marry Teela, did he? I mean, it was something you both wanted, right?”

“Yes, we both wanted it,” Adam said, still trying to get over the shock that she was so thrilled. She was happier than he had expected her to be since she didn’t know Teela all that well.

Almost as if Adora could read his thoughts, she gave a reason for her actions. She smiled brightly and said, “I could tell at our birthday party that you had a thing for Teela. I’m so happy for you, brother.” Then, she suddenly slapped at him even though her smile hadn’t faded. “Why in the world didn’t you tell me this ahead of time? I would have loved to have been at the wedding!” She popped his arm again.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier,” Adam replied. “It all happened so fast and it was such a necessity…”

“A necessity?” Adora questioned. Once again, she got a quizzical look on her face before her jaw dropped. “Teela’s not pregnant, is she?”

Adam felt heat rise to his cheeks immediately. “Uh, yes, she is, but that’s not…”

Once again, Adam was subjected to more of Adora’s squeals. This time she hopped up and down excitedly and exclaimed, “I’m going to be an aunt! Oh, wow!” She hugged her brother. “Wow! What did Mother and Father say? Were they disappointed? What do your people think? Gosh, what does the Sorceress think?”

Adam grabbed onto his sister’s shoulders to hold her still. He stared into her eyes and said, “Let me explain, Adora. You’re asking too many questions at once. Let’s just take a little at a time.” When she calmed, he explained, “First of all, we didn’t get married because Teela is pregnant. That didn’t happen until _after_ the ceremony.”

He looked around and saw a large boulder several feet away. He pushed Adora in that direction and said, “Let’s sit. This is going to be a long story…”

=)=)=)

Adora had listened to the story without interrupting. Adam revealed it all: the future with Janice that they had changed, Durriken’s involvement, the possibility of Morgoth’s release, the Sorceress’ death, Teela possibly taking over at Castle Grayskull, and Skeletor finding out about their son.” There was just two things he had left out and he was saving them to hopefully brighten her mood if she needed cheering up.

“Wow, brother,” Adora said with a shake of her head. “You certainly have been dealing with a lot of pressure recently. I’m surprised you hadn’t gone a little crazy by now.”

Adam smiled and said, “I can’t afford to react that way. I’m a husband now and I’m going to be a father. I have to act accordingly.”

“Yeah, but still…”

He interrupted her. “Besides, just the mere thought and sight of A.J. puts everything into perspective. My life with Teela and him…that’s what I want.”

“A.J.?” she questioned.

He hadn’t told her his son’s name nor had he told her that he had already “seen” him. That was what he had been holding back and he was glad to tell her now. He grinned and revealed, “That’s going to be my son’s nickname. Remember when I told you I gained a new ability…that I can read people’s thoughts or see the future sometimes like the Sorceress can?” When she nodded, he continued, “Well, in one of those visions, I saw A.J. That’s how I first found out about him. He is so beautiful, sis.”

Adora immediately hugged her brother and Adam closed his eyes. He didn’t tell his sister what he was about to do. He just did it. He connected his mind with his hers and showed the same memory he had shown Teela: of A.J. chasing his pet baby tiger. The only difference was that he allowed the vision to continue to its conclusion. He let her see the pain A.J. and he felt at Teela’s absence when they heard the falcon’s cry.

When the vision ended, Adora pulled away with tears slipping down her cheeks. “You’re right, Adam,” she whispered. “He is beautiful. He looks just like you.”

When he nodded, she wiped at her cheeks and added, “And, we have to do something, brother. We can’t allow Teela’s whole life with you and A.J. to be taken away. I know I wouldn’t want to be the Sorceress of Grayskull if I had a husband and child at home who couldn’t come with me.”

He nodded and said, “That’s partly why I’m here. I obviously want you there at my second wedding and Teela’s coronation, but I would also be so grateful if you could possibly come to Eternia and help when things with Skeletor and Durriken get overwhelming.”

“When they get overwhelming?” Adora questioned. “Adam, I’m going back to Eternia with you now, right at this very minute!”

Adam smiled and asked, “Are you sure?”

“I’m very sure!” She bounced off the boulder and said, “Come on! Let’s go, so I can see my sister-in-law and our parents! We have so much to do and get ready for besides simply preparing for Skeletor and whatever he has planned. The sooner we get started, the better.”

The latter was definitely becoming a motto for him and his family.

=)=)=)

Word of Adam and Adora’s arrival to the Royal Palace of Eternia spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the whole palace was abuzz about the princess’ presence. Of course, from what Adam could hear as he led his sister towards the throne room, it seemed like everyone was of the firm opinion was that she was there because of his wedding. He couldn’t fault them in that reasoning.

Adora looked around as they walked and moved over closer towards him. “Brother, I don’t remember your personnel being quite so chatty the last time I was here. Nor do I remember there being so many present at one time. What’s going on?”

Adam shrugged and stated matter-of-factly, “Well, the entire kingdom—and perhaps the planet—knows about the upcoming wedding. That’s why they’re chatty. As for why so many are working today, we’re probably going to have a large crew until Teela’s coronation. After all, Father is going to want to the palace to be immaculately cleaned. Kings, queens, dignitaries, and hundreds of others will be here for the occasion.”

She nodded and silenced as they walked through the throne room doors.

Already, the king and queen were standing on the ground floor in front of their throne. Clearly, they had already heard about their daughter’s presence and were waiting to greet her.

“Adora!” both parents exclaimed as soon as they saw her.

“Mother! Father!” Adora exclaimed as she ran towards them. Adam smiled as he watched their reunion, but the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to leave and have one of his own.

Knowing it would be rude if he simply walked out, he called out, “Mother, Father, Sis, I’m going to go and find Teela. I’ll be back shortly.”

Adora looked uncertain for a second, almost like she was worried about something. Adam assumed she might be thinking that he was annoyed that their greetings were taking so long. If that was the case, he tried his best to alleviate those fears. “I just can’t wait to see her!” he exclaimed.

When his family nodded, he immediately went to their bedchambers. When he walked into both of them, he could tell Teela had gone through their belongings and pulled things out, but she wasn’t present in either one. That’s when he made his way over to their suite. He opened the door and said loudly, “Teela?”

Instantly, he heard someone’s voice, but it wasn’t his wife’s. “Adam!” he heard Orko exclaim. He was shocked, then, to see Cringer shooting out from down the hall towards him.

“Hurry!” the feline nearly shouted.

As fast he could, he followed Cringer into the living room. What he saw almost brought him to his knees: Teela was on the floor with her lower back pressed against the wall. She was hunched over with her arms circling her knees, and it looked like she was crying!

“Ancients!” he exclaimed, immediately alarmed. “Teela! Baby!”

Instantly, he rushed to her side and slipped his hands onto her knee and back. “Are you all right?” he questioned frantically as she lifted her head. She didn’t answer. She merely wiped away tears, so Adam looked over at Orko, who was floating beside her, and asked almost hysterically, “What happened?”

Orko didn’t have time to explain, because within seconds, Teela distracted her husband by wrapping her arms around his neck and sniffling some more. She was obviously trying not to breakdown and it killed him. Quickly, Adam slipped an arm under her legs and around her back to pick her up. He immediately carried her to their bedroom and laid her gently on the bed before looking at Orko and Cringer who had followed him.

He didn’t care who told him, but he was determined to find out what was wrong and he was determined to find out now!

=)=)=)

Teela's Visitor Chapter 58

Unlike so many other times, Adam wasn't genuinely happy about his trip to Etheria. Usually, he would be near ecstatic or at least joyous that he would have the opportunity once again to see his long lost twin. Adora and he were still in the process of getting to know one another, so they usually valued the opportunities when they could get together. Sure, they already had a close relationship—he couldn't imagine them being any closer when it came to sibling affections—but he still had almost twenty years' worth of knowledge to catch up on.

Despite that, he really didn't want to be there. He wanted to be back on Eternia with his wife. He wanted to be in their new bedchamber, making sweet and passionate love to her. He wanted to run his hands over Teela's quite beautifully responsive body and kiss her abdomen which protected their growing son. Quite simply, he wanted to be on his honeymoon right now…

He knew he was being unfair and that he had better brighten his disposition at least a little. He didn't want to alarm Adora too much, even though he did consider some of his news dire. At least, he would be glad to see his sister. That was a genuine emotion that he had at the moment. He just wished he was only there to tell her about his marriage, the upcoming coronation, and A.J. That would have been ideal.

" _Maybe that should be the only things I tell her_ ," he thought to himself hesitantly. Then, he dismissed the thought entirely. No, he needed to tell her everything. They never hid anything from one another and he wasn't about to start now. Besides, if she was able and wanted to help him, he wasn't too proud to admit that he needed it.

Adam walked away from the dimensional gate and made his way towards the Whispering Woods. The quicker he could get there, the quicker he could find his sister and tell her everything. He could only hope that the Horde was behaving today.

=)=)=)

Walking into camp, Adam sighed when he saw that the camp was alive with movement. People were running around everywhere, grabbing weapons and boxes of unknown supplies. " _It figures; it really does_ ," he commented to himself silently.

He ran his eyes over the grounds hurriedly trying to spot his sister as Adora or She-Ra. He didn't know which to expect considering the chaos in front of him. As he searched to the right of him, he was suddenly relieved to hear someone yelling his name enthusiastically from the opposite side.

"ADAM! ADAM!"

He turned in the direction of the voice and smiled happily as his sister practically sprinted towards him. As usual, just as Adora reached him, she paused momentarily so they could simply grin at one another before clutching the other tightly in a huge bear hug.

"Boy, is this a surprise!" Adora exclaimed happily as she pulled away from her brother's embrace.

Adam didn't know quite how to respond to her. Should he exude happiness first at his merely being there? Should he show happiness to prepare her for the good news about his marriage and the arrival of her nephew? Or perhaps, he should be pensive and start off with all the problems. Or, maybe he shouldn't say anything at all considering she was clearly having problems of her own right now. He didn't know. As a result, he merely stared at her with a blank expression.

It only took a literal second of Adam's silence for Adora's expression to change abruptly. Her brow wrinkled in concern and she questioned, "Adam? What's wrong, my brother?"

Pressing his lips firmly into a straight line, he glanced around camp. "First thing's first, what's wrong here?" He motioned towards all the chaos around him and Adora smiled.

"It isn't what it looks like," she said with a small upturn of her lips. "The camp is going to Castle Brightmoon today. We're celebrating yet another victory over the Horde. They had tried to seize Castle Mystacore yesterday, but the Rebellion held them off. Everyone is quite proud."

Adam was relieved to hear that the Rebels were not preparing for battle at that moment. He nodded and replied, "That's good. I'm sure Castaspella is quite happy and grateful, as well."

"She is," Adora agreed. She then laughed a little and met her brother's deep blue eyes with her own. "In fact, she is around here somewhere if you want to see her. I know your arrival would definitely brighten her day even more. She's still mighty interested in you, brother dear." She pinched his cheek playfully before popping it twice softly.

He knew his sister was trying to tease him. She had picked up the habit of doing so when it came to women ever since Frosta had gotten it in her head to become obsessed with He-Man. Unfortunately for him, before that time, he had flirted with Castaspella as Adam, so his sister probably thought there were some genuine feelings there. Now, he knew he had to correct that misconception and that, of course, would lead directly into his news for being there. He didn't fight or avoid it. He simply went along with it.

"Actually, that might be a little inappropriate now," he stated frankly. He wasn't surprised to see her confused expression. Her eyebrows had knitted questioningly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Adam looked around at the people surrounding them and asked, "Is there some place we can go to talk privately?"

Adora nodded instantly and turned to whistle. "Spirit," she called out.

Within moments, the white horse appeared and Adora slipped onto its back. "Let's go," she said to her brother before he climbed on. Trotting at a steady pace, Spirit took them away from the camp to a stream Adam knew was in the distance.

=)=)=)

Adora leaned against Spirit's side as the animal drank water from the river. Adam stood a couple of feet away skipping stones across the stream. Adam could feel his sister's gaze planted firmly on him, so he knew she was wondering what was going on, but she was clearly also giving him time to gather his thoughts before the inquisition started.

After he skipped maybe his eighth rock, he finally wiped his hands on his tights and turned to look at her. As suspected, she was scrutinizing him carefully and she hadn't tried to hide it at all once he turned towards her.

Clearing his throat, he held her eyes with his and began. "I'm sorry to come right now and interrupt a time when you should be celebrating with your friends."

Adora arched an eyebrow instantly and stated firmly a few seconds later, "Adam, don't you dare apologize! I gather that something's wrong, and I want you to tell me what it is. You are far more important to me than some party. There will be others, after all, and I only have one brother."

Adam smiled lightly and replied, "Thanks, sis." Once again, they fell back into silence as Adam tried to figure out how to begin. As soon as he sensed Adora's presence beside him and felt her fingers wrap around his lightly, he mumbled, "I don't know how to say this, Adora. I'm afraid I'm not any good at making big reveals. In fact, I completely suck at it."

Adora smiled and laughed loudly. He had no doubt that she was laughing at his terminology. This was definitely the first time he had told her that he "sucked" at something. He grinned and continued, "The truth is I have some good news and some bad news."

"Well, let's start with the good news," Adora said. "I have a feeling that the bad will overshadow the good."

He grimaced and commented, "Ancients, I hope not."

After a few more seconds of standing there quietly, Adora tightened her hold on her brother's hand and whispered, "What is it, brother?"

Sighing, Adam glanced over at her and said, "I'm sorry that I'm only getting around to telling you this now. I realize that I should have earlier, but things just happened so quickly. I didn't have the time to come or anything else really…"

"Okay, Adam, I understand," she said interrupting him. "But, just so I can keep things straight in my mind, what are we talking about? You need to tell me that first."

He looked back at the stream in front of him and said, "The reason why it would be inappropriate for me to find Castaspella when I know she'll flirt with me is because…" He paused for a moment, turned to his sister calmly, and revealed, "I'm married now."

Adora stared at her brother for a second as if he had grown a second head. Then, she blinked rapidly a few times in succession. "Married?" she finally questioned. "You're married? As in _married_ married?"

He rolled his eyes and quipped, "Yes, Adora, I don't know of any other kind of married."

Her mouth dropped open and Adam couldn't tell how she felt about the news aside from the fact that she was surprised. "To whom?" she finally managed to ask.

Without hesitation, he answered, "Teela."

Now, it was time for Adam to be surprised. Adora squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly! "Oh, Adam! That's fantastic news!" She pulled back and exclaimed in a rush, "I was worried for a second there! My mind was jumping to all kinds of crazy conclusions. I thought maybe Father had made you marry some random girl. I know royalty do things like that from time to time. Uh…he didn't make you marry Teela, did he? I mean, it was something you both wanted, right?"

"Yes, we both wanted it," Adam said, still trying to get over the shock that she was so thrilled. She was happier than he had expected her to be since she didn't know Teela all that well.

Almost as if Adora could read his thoughts, she gave a reason for her actions. She smiled brightly and said, "I could tell at our birthday party that you had a thing for Teela. I'm so happy for you, brother." Then, she suddenly slapped at him even though her smile hadn't faded. "Why in the world didn't you tell me this ahead of time? I would have loved to have been at the wedding!" She popped his arm again.

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier," Adam replied. "It all happened so fast and it was such a necessity…"

"A necessity?" Adora questioned. Once again, she got a quizzical look on her face before her jaw dropped. "Teela's not pregnant, is she?"

Adam felt heat rise to his cheeks immediately. "Uh, yes, she is, but that's not…"

Once again, Adam was subjected to more of Adora's squeals. This time she hopped up and down excitedly and exclaimed, "I'm going to be an aunt! Oh, wow!" She hugged her brother. "Wow! What did Mother and Father say? Were they disappointed? What do your people think? Gosh, what does the Sorceress think?"

Adam grabbed onto his sister's shoulders to hold her still. He stared into her eyes and said, "Let me explain, Adora. You're asking too many questions at once. Let's just take a little at a time." When she calmed, he explained, "First of all, we didn't get married because Teela is pregnant. That didn't happen until _after_ the ceremony."

He looked around and saw a large boulder several feet away. He pushed Adora in that direction and said, "Let's sit. This is going to be a long story…"

=)=)=)

Adora had listened to the tale without interrupting. Adam revealed it all: the future with Janice that they had changed, Durriken's involvement, the possibility of Morgoth's release, the Sorceress' death, Teela possibly taking over at Castle Grayskull, and Skeletor finding out about their son." There were just two things he had left out and he was saving them to hopefully brighten her mood if she needed cheering up.

"Wow, brother," Adora said with a shake of her head. "You certainly have been dealing with a lot of pressure recently. I'm surprised you hadn't gone a little crazy by now."

Adam smiled and said, "I can't afford to react that way. I'm a husband now and I'm going to be a father. I have to act accordingly."

"Yeah, but still…"

He interrupted her. "Besides, just the mere thought and sight of A.J. puts everything into perspective. My life with Teela and him…that's what I want."

"A.J.?" she questioned.

He hadn't told her his son's name nor had he told her that he had already "seen" him. That was what he had been holding back and he was glad to tell her now. He grinned and revealed, "That's going to be my son's nickname. Remember when I told you I gained a new ability…that I can read people's thoughts or see the future sometimes like the Sorceress can?" When she nodded, he continued, "Well, in one of those visions, I saw A.J. That's how I first found out about him. He is so beautiful, sis."

Adora immediately hugged her brother and Adam closed his eyes. He didn't tell his sister what he was about to do. He just did it. He connected his mind with his hers and showed the same memory he had shown Teela: of A.J. chasing his pet baby tiger. The only difference was that he allowed the vision to continue to its conclusion. He let her see the pain A.J. and he felt at Teela's absence when they heard the falcon's cry.

When the vision ended, Adora pulled away with tears slipping down her cheeks. "You're right, Adam," she whispered. "He is beautiful. He looks just like you."

When he nodded, she wiped at her cheeks and added, "And, we have to do something, brother. We can't allow Teela's whole life with you and A.J. to be taken away. I know I wouldn't want to be the Sorceress of Grayskull if I had a husband and child at home who couldn't come with me."

He nodded and said, "That's partly why I'm here. I obviously want you there at my second wedding and Teela's coronation, but I would also be so grateful if you could possibly come to Eternia and help when things with Skeletor and Durriken get overwhelming."

"When they get overwhelming?" Adora questioned. "Adam, I'm going back to Eternia with you now, right at this very minute!"

Adam smiled and asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm very sure!" She bounced off the boulder and said, "Come on! Let's go, so I can see my sister-in-law and our parents! We have so much to do and get ready for besides simply preparing for Skeletor and whatever he has planned. The sooner we get started, the better."

The latter was definitely becoming a motto for him and his family.

=)=)=)

Word of Adam and Adora's arrival to the Royal Palace of Eternia spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the whole palace was abuzz about the princess' presence. Of course, from what Adam could hear as he led his sister towards the throne room, it seemed like everyone was of the firm opinion was that she was there because of his wedding. He couldn't fault them in that reasoning.

Adora looked around as they walked and moved over closer towards him. "Brother, I don't remember your personnel being quite so chatty the last time I was here. Nor do I remember there being so many present at one time. What's going on?"

Adam shrugged and stated matter-of-factly, "Well, the entire kingdom—and perhaps the planet—knows about the upcoming wedding. That's why they're chatty. As for why so many are working today, we're probably going to have a large crew until Teela's coronation. After all, Father is going to want the palace to be immaculately cleaned. Kings, queens, dignitaries, and hundreds of others will be here for the occasion."

She nodded and silenced as they walked through the throne room doors.

Already, the king and queen were standing on the ground floor in front of their throne. Clearly, they had heard about their daughter's presence and were waiting to greet her.

"Adora!" both parents exclaimed as soon as they saw her.

"Mother! Father!" Adora shouted enthusiastically as she ran towards them. Adam smiled as he watched their reunion, but the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to leave and have one of his own.

Knowing it would be rude if he simply walked out, he called out, "Mother, Father, Sis, I'm going to go and find Teela. I'll be back shortly."

Adora looked uncertain for a second, almost like she was worried about something. Adam assumed she might be thinking that he was annoyed that their greetings were taking so long. If that was the case, he tried his best to alleviate those fears. "I just can't wait to see her!" he exclaimed.

When his family nodded, he immediately went to their bedchambers. When he walked into both of them, he could tell Teela had gone through their belongings and pulled things out, but she wasn't present in either one. That's when he made his way over to their suite. He opened the door and said loudly, "Teela?"

Instantly, he heard someone's voice, but it wasn't his wife's. "Adam!" he heard Orko exclaim. He was shocked, then, to see Cringer shooting out from down the hall towards him.

"Hurry!" the feline nearly shouted.

As fast he could, he followed Cringer into the living room. What he saw almost brought him to his knees: Teela was on the floor with her lower back pressed against the wall. She was hunched over with her arms circling her knees, and it looked like she was crying!

"Ancients!" he exclaimed, immediately alarmed. "Teela! Baby!"

Instantly, he rushed to her side and slipped his hands onto her knee and back. "Are you all right?" he questioned frantically as she lifted her head. She didn't answer. She merely wiped away tears, so Adam looked over at Orko, who was floating beside her, and asked almost hysterically, "What happened?"

Orko didn't have time to explain, because within seconds, Teela distracted her husband by wrapping her arms around his neck and sniffling some more. She was obviously trying not to breakdown and it killed him. Quickly, Adam slipped an arm under her legs and around her back to pick her up. He immediately carried her to their bedroom and laid her gently on the bed before looking at Orko and Cringer who had followed him.

He didn't care who told him, but he was determined to find out what was wrong and he was determined to find out now!

Teela's Visitor Chapter 58

Unlike so many other times, Adam wasn't genuinely happy about his trip to Etheria. Usually, he would be near ecstatic or at least joyous that he would have the opportunity once again to see his long lost twin. Adora and he were still in the process of getting to know one another, so they usually valued the opportunities when they could get together. Sure, they already had a close relationship—he couldn't imagine them being any closer when it came to sibling affections—but he still had almost twenty years' worth of knowledge to catch up on.

Despite that, he really didn't want to be there. He wanted to be back on Eternia with his wife. He wanted to be in their new bedchamber, making sweet and passionate love to her. He wanted to run his hands over Teela's quite beautifully responsive body and kiss her abdomen which protected their growing son. Quite simply, he wanted to be on his honeymoon right now…

He knew he was being unfair and that he had better brighten his disposition at least a little. He didn't want to alarm Adora too much, even though he did consider some of his news dire. At least, he would be glad to see his sister. That was a genuine emotion that he had at the moment. He just wished he was only there to tell her about his marriage, the upcoming coronation, and A.J. That would have been ideal.

" _Maybe that should be the only things I tell her_ ," he thought to himself hesitantly. Then, he dismissed the thought entirely. No, he needed to tell her everything. They never hid anything from one another and he wasn't about to start now. Besides, if she was able and wanted to help him, he wasn't too proud to admit that he needed it.

Adam walked away from the dimensional gate and made his way towards the Whispering Woods. The quicker he could get there, the quicker he could find his sister and tell her everything. He could only hope that the Horde was behaving today.

=)=)=)

Walking into camp, Adam sighed when he saw that the camp was alive with movement. People were running around everywhere, grabbing weapons and boxes of unknown supplies. " _It figures; it really does_ ," he commented to himself silently.

He ran his eyes over the grounds hurriedly trying to spot his sister as Adora or She-Ra. He didn't know which to expect considering the chaos in front of him. As he searched to the right of him, he was suddenly relieved to hear someone yelling his name enthusiastically from the opposite side.

"ADAM! ADAM!"

He turned in the direction of the voice and smiled happily as his sister practically sprinted towards him. As usual, just as Adora reached him, she paused momentarily so they could simply grin at one another before clutching the other tightly in a huge bear hug.

"Boy, is this a surprise!" Adora exclaimed happily as she pulled away from her brother's embrace.

Adam didn't know quite how to respond to her. Should he exude happiness first at his merely being there? Should he show happiness to prepare her for the good news about his marriage and the arrival of her nephew? Or perhaps, he should be pensive and start off with all the problems. Or, maybe he shouldn't say anything at all considering she was clearly having problems of her own right now. He didn't know. As a result, he merely stared at her with a blank expression.

It only took a literal second of Adam's silence for Adora's expression to change abruptly. Her brow wrinkled in concern and she questioned, "Adam? What's wrong, my brother?"

Pressing his lips firmly into a straight line, he glanced around camp. "First thing's first, what's wrong here?" He motioned towards all the chaos around him and Adora smiled.

"It isn't what it looks like," she said with a small upturn of her lips. "The camp is going to Castle Brightmoon today. We're celebrating yet another victory over the Horde. They had tried to seize Castle Mystacore yesterday, but the Rebellion held them off. Everyone is quite proud."

Adam was relieved to hear that the Rebels were not preparing for battle at that moment. He nodded and replied, "That's good. I'm sure Castaspella is quite happy and grateful, as well."

"She is," Adora agreed. She then laughed a little and met her brother's deep blue eyes with her own. "In fact, she is around here somewhere if you want to see her. I know your arrival would definitely brighten her day even more. She's still mighty interested in you, brother dear." She pinched his cheek playfully before popping it twice softly.

He knew his sister was trying to tease him. She had picked up the habit of doing so when it came to women ever since Frosta had gotten it in her head to become obsessed with He-Man. Unfortunately for him, before that time, he had flirted with Castaspella as Adam, so his sister probably thought there were some genuine feelings there. Now, he knew he had to correct that misconception and that, of course, would lead directly into his news for being there. He didn't fight or avoid it. He simply went along with it.

"Actually, that might be a little inappropriate now," he stated frankly. He wasn't surprised to see her confused expression. Her eyebrows had knitted questioningly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Adam looked around at the people surrounding them and asked, "Is there some place we can go to talk privately?"

Adora nodded instantly and turned to whistle. "Spirit," she called out.

Within moments, the white horse appeared and Adora slipped onto its back. "Let's go," she said to her brother before he climbed on. Trotting at a steady pace, Spirit took them away from the camp to a stream Adam knew was in the distance.

=)=)=)

Adora leaned against Spirit's side as the animal drank water from the river. Adam stood a couple of feet away skipping stones across the stream. Adam could feel his sister's gaze planted firmly on him, so he knew she was wondering what was going on, but she was clearly also giving him time to gather his thoughts before the inquisition started.

After he skipped maybe his eighth rock, he finally wiped his hands on his tights and turned to look at her. As suspected, she was scrutinizing him carefully and she hadn't tried to hide it at all once he turned towards her.

Clearing his throat, he held her eyes with his and began. "I'm sorry to come right now and interrupt a time when you should be celebrating with your friends."

Adora arched an eyebrow instantly and stated firmly a few seconds later, "Adam, don't you dare apologize! I gather that something's wrong, and I want you to tell me what it is. You are far more important to me than some party. There will be others, after all, and I only have one brother."

Adam smiled lightly and replied, "Thanks, sis." Once again, they fell back into silence as Adam tried to figure out how to begin. As soon as he sensed Adora's presence beside him and felt her fingers wrap around his lightly, he mumbled, "I don't know how to say this, Adora. I'm afraid I'm not any good at making big reveals. In fact, I completely suck at it."

Adora smiled and laughed loudly. He had no doubt that she was laughing at his terminology. This was definitely the first time he had told her that he "sucked" at something. He grinned and continued, "The truth is I have some good news and some bad news."

"Well, let's start with the good news," Adora said. "I have a feeling that the bad will overshadow the good."

He grimaced and commented, "Ancients, I hope not."

After a few more seconds of standing there quietly, Adora tightened her hold on her brother's hand and whispered, "What is it, brother?"

Sighing, Adam glanced over at her and said, "I'm sorry that I'm only getting around to telling you this now. I realize that I should have earlier, but things just happened so quickly. I didn't have the time to come or anything else really…"

"Okay, Adam, I understand," she said interrupting him. "But, just so I can keep things straight in my mind, what are we talking about? You need to tell me that first."

He looked back at the stream in front of him and said, "The reason why it would be inappropriate for me to find Castaspella when I know she'll flirt with me is because…" He paused for a moment, turned to his sister calmly, and revealed, "I'm married now."

Adora stared at her brother for a second as if he had grown a second head. Then, she blinked rapidly a few times in succession. "Married?" she finally questioned. "You're married? As in _married_ married?"

He rolled his eyes and quipped, "Yes, Adora, I don't know of any other kind of married."

Her mouth dropped open and Adam couldn't tell how she felt about the news aside from the fact that she was surprised. "To whom?" she finally managed to ask.

Without hesitation, he answered, "Teela."

Now, it was time for Adam to be surprised. Adora squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly! "Oh, Adam! That's fantastic news!" She pulled back and exclaimed in a rush, "I was worried for a second there! My mind was jumping to all kinds of crazy conclusions. I thought maybe Father had made you marry some random girl. I know royalty do things like that from time to time. Uh…he didn't make you marry Teela, did he? I mean, it was something you both wanted, right?"

"Yes, we both wanted it," Adam said, still trying to get over the shock that she was so thrilled. She was happier than he had expected her to be since she didn't know Teela all that well.

Almost as if Adora could read his thoughts, she gave a reason for her actions. She smiled brightly and said, "I could tell at our birthday party that you had a thing for Teela. I'm so happy for you, brother." Then, she suddenly slapped at him even though her smile hadn't faded. "Why in the world didn't you tell me this ahead of time? I would have loved to have been at the wedding!" She popped his arm again.

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier," Adam replied. "It all happened so fast and it was such a necessity…"

"A necessity?" Adora questioned. Once again, she got a quizzical look on her face before her jaw dropped. "Teela's not pregnant, is she?"

Adam felt heat rise to his cheeks immediately. "Uh, yes, she is, but that's not…"

Once again, Adam was subjected to more of Adora's squeals. This time she hopped up and down excitedly and exclaimed, "I'm going to be an aunt! Oh, wow!" She hugged her brother. "Wow! What did Mother and Father say? Were they disappointed? What do your people think? Gosh, what does the Sorceress think?"

Adam grabbed onto his sister's shoulders to hold her still. He stared into her eyes and said, "Let me explain, Adora. You're asking too many questions at once. Let's just take a little at a time." When she calmed, he explained, "First of all, we didn't get married because Teela is pregnant. That didn't happen until _after_ the ceremony."

He looked around and saw a large boulder several feet away. He pushed Adora in that direction and said, "Let's sit. This is going to be a long story…"

=)=)=)

Adora had listened to the tale without interrupting. Adam revealed it all: the future with Janice that they had changed, Durriken's involvement, the possibility of Morgoth's release, the Sorceress' death, Teela possibly taking over at Castle Grayskull, and Skeletor finding out about their son." There were just two things he had left out and he was saving them to hopefully brighten her mood if she needed cheering up.

"Wow, brother," Adora said with a shake of her head. "You certainly have been dealing with a lot of pressure recently. I'm surprised you hadn't gone a little crazy by now."

Adam smiled and said, "I can't afford to react that way. I'm a husband now and I'm going to be a father. I have to act accordingly."

"Yeah, but still…"

He interrupted her. "Besides, just the mere thought and sight of A.J. puts everything into perspective. My life with Teela and him…that's what I want."

"A.J.?" she questioned.

He hadn't told her his son's name nor had he told her that he had already "seen" him. That was what he had been holding back and he was glad to tell her now. He grinned and revealed, "That's going to be my son's nickname. Remember when I told you I gained a new ability…that I can read people's thoughts or see the future sometimes like the Sorceress can?" When she nodded, he continued, "Well, in one of those visions, I saw A.J. That's how I first found out about him. He is so beautiful, sis."

Adora immediately hugged her brother and Adam closed his eyes. He didn't tell his sister what he was about to do. He just did it. He connected his mind with his hers and showed the same memory he had shown Teela: of A.J. chasing his pet baby tiger. The only difference was that he allowed the vision to continue to its conclusion. He let her see the pain A.J. and he felt at Teela's absence when they heard the falcon's cry.

When the vision ended, Adora pulled away with tears slipping down her cheeks. "You're right, Adam," she whispered. "He is beautiful. He looks just like you."

When he nodded, she wiped at her cheeks and added, "And, we have to do something, brother. We can't allow Teela's whole life with you and A.J. to be taken away. I know I wouldn't want to be the Sorceress of Grayskull if I had a husband and child at home who couldn't come with me."

He nodded and said, "That's partly why I'm here. I obviously want you there at my second wedding and Teela's coronation, but I would also be so grateful if you could possibly come to Eternia and help when things with Skeletor and Durriken get overwhelming."

"When they get overwhelming?" Adora questioned. "Adam, I'm going back to Eternia with you now, right at this very minute!"

Adam smiled and asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm very sure!" She bounced off the boulder and said, "Come on! Let's go, so I can see my sister-in-law and our parents! We have so much to do and get ready for besides simply preparing for Skeletor and whatever he has planned. The sooner we get started, the better."

The latter was definitely becoming a motto for him and his family.

=)=)=)

Word of Adam and Adora's arrival to the Royal Palace of Eternia spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the whole palace was abuzz about the princess' presence. Of course, from what Adam could hear as he led his sister towards the throne room, it seemed like everyone was of the firm opinion was that she was there because of his wedding. He couldn't fault them in that reasoning.

Adora looked around as they walked and moved over closer towards him. "Brother, I don't remember your personnel being quite so chatty the last time I was here. Nor do I remember there being so many present at one time. What's going on?"

Adam shrugged and stated matter-of-factly, "Well, the entire kingdom—and perhaps the planet—knows about the upcoming wedding. That's why they're chatty. As for why so many are working today, we're probably going to have a large crew until Teela's coronation. After all, Father is going to want the palace to be immaculately cleaned. Kings, queens, dignitaries, and hundreds of others will be here for the occasion."

She nodded and silenced as they walked through the throne room doors.

Already, the king and queen were standing on the ground floor in front of their throne. Clearly, they had heard about their daughter's presence and were waiting to greet her.

"Adora!" both parents exclaimed as soon as they saw her.

"Mother! Father!" Adora shouted enthusiastically as she ran towards them. Adam smiled as he watched their reunion, but the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to leave and have one of his own.

Knowing it would be rude if he simply walked out, he called out, "Mother, Father, Sis, I'm going to go and find Teela. I'll be back shortly."

Adora looked uncertain for a second, almost like she was worried about something. Adam assumed she might be thinking that he was annoyed that their greetings were taking so long. If that was the case, he tried his best to alleviate those fears. "I just can't wait to see her!" he exclaimed.

When his family nodded, he immediately went to their bedchambers. When he walked into both of them, he could tell Teela had gone through their belongings and pulled things out, but she wasn't present in either one. That's when he made his way over to their suite. He opened the door and said loudly, "Teela?"

Instantly, he heard someone's voice, but it wasn't his wife's. "Adam!" he heard Orko exclaim. He was shocked, then, to see Cringer shooting out from down the hall towards him.

"Hurry!" the feline nearly shouted.

As fast he could, he followed Cringer into the living room. What he saw almost brought him to his knees: Teela was on the floor with her lower back pressed against the wall. She was hunched over with her arms circling her knees, and it looked like she was crying!

"Ancients!" he exclaimed, immediately alarmed. "Teela, baby!"

Instantly, he rushed to her side and slipped his hands onto her knee and back. "Are you all right?" he questioned frantically as she lifted her head. She didn't answer. She merely wiped away tears, so Adam looked over at Orko, who was floating beside her, and asked almost hysterically, "What happened?"

Orko didn't have time to explain, because within seconds, Teela distracted her husband by wrapping her arms around his neck and sniffling some more. She was obviously trying not to breakdown and it killed him. Quickly, Adam slipped an arm under her legs and around her back to pick her up. He immediately carried her to their bedroom and laid her gently on the bed before looking at Orko and Cringer who had followed him.

He didn't care who told him, but he was determined to find out what was wrong and he was determined to find out now!

Teela's Visitor Chapter 58

Unlike so many other times, Adam wasn't genuinely happy about his trip to Etheria. Usually, he would be near ecstatic or at least joyous that he would have the opportunity once again to see his long lost twin. Adora and he were still in the process of getting to know one another, so they usually valued the occasions when they could get together. Sure, they already had a close relationship—he couldn't imagine them being any closer when it came to sibling affections—but he still had almost twenty years' worth of knowledge to catch up on.

Despite that, he really didn't want to be there. He wanted to be back on Eternia with his wife. He wanted to be in their new bedchamber, making sweet and passionate love to her. He wanted to run his hands over Teela's quite beautifully responsive body and kiss her abdomen which protected their growing son. Quite simply, he wanted to be on his honeymoon right now…

He knew he was being unfair and that he had better brighten his disposition at least a little. He didn't want to alarm Adora too much, even though he did consider some of his news dire. At least he would be glad to see his sister. That was a genuine emotion that he had at the moment. He just wished he was only there to tell her about his marriage, the upcoming coronation, and A.J. That would have been ideal.

" _Maybe that should be the only things I tell her_ ," he thought to himself hesitantly. Then, he dismissed the thought entirely. No, he needed to tell her everything. They never hid anything from one another and he wasn't about to start now. Besides, if she was able and wanted to help him, he wasn't too proud to admit that he needed it.

Adam walked away from the dimensional gate and made his way towards the Whispering Woods. The quicker he could get there, the quicker he could find his sister and tell her everything. He could only hope that the Horde was behaving today.

=)=)=)

Walking into camp, Adam sighed when he saw that the bivouac was alive with movement. People were running around everywhere, grabbing weapons and boxes of unknown supplies. " _It figures; it really does_ ," he commented to himself silently.

He ran his eyes over the grounds hurriedly trying to spot his sister as Adora or She-Ra. He didn't know which to expect considering the chaos in front of him. As he searched to the right of him, he was suddenly relieved to hear someone yelling his name enthusiastically from the opposite side.

"ADAM! ADAM!"

He turned in the direction of the voice and smiled happily as his sister practically sprinted towards him. As usual, just as Adora reached him, she paused momentarily so they could simply grin at one another before clutching the other tightly in a huge bear hug.

"Boy, is this a surprise!" Adora exclaimed happily as she pulled away from her brother's embrace.

Adam didn't know quite how to respond to her. Should he exude happiness first at his merely being there? Should he show happiness to prepare her for the good news about his marriage and the arrival of her nephew? Or perhaps, he should be pensive and start off with all the problems. Or, maybe he shouldn't say anything at all considering she was clearly having problems of her own right now. He didn't know. As a result, he merely stared at her with a blank expression.

It only took a literal second of Adam's silence for Adora's expression to change abruptly. Her brow wrinkled in concern and she questioned, "Adam? What's wrong, my brother?"

Pressing his lips firmly into a straight line, he glanced around camp. "First thing's first, what's wrong here?" He motioned towards all the chaos around him and Adora smiled.

"It isn't what it looks like," she said with a small upturn of her lips. "The camp is going to Castle Brightmoon today. We're celebrating yet another victory over the Horde. They had tried to seize Castle Mystacore yesterday, but the Rebellion held them off. Everyone is quite proud."

Adam was relieved to hear that the Rebels were not preparing for battle at that moment. He nodded and replied, "That's good. I'm sure Castaspella is quite happy and grateful, as well."

"She is," Adora agreed. She then laughed a little and met her brother's deep blue eyes with her own. "In fact, she is around here somewhere if you want to see her. I know your arrival would definitely brighten her day even more. She's still mighty interested in you, brother dear." She pinched his cheek playfully before popping it twice softly.

He knew his sister was trying to tease him. She had picked up the habit of doing so when it came to women ever since Frosta had gotten it in her head to become obsessed with He-Man. Unfortunately for him, before that time, he had flirted with Castaspella as Adam, so his sister probably thought there were some genuine feelings there. Now, he knew he had to correct that misconception and that, of course, would lead directly into his news for being there. He didn't fight or avoid it. He simply went along with it.

"Actually, that might be a little inappropriate now," he stated frankly. He wasn't surprised to see her confused expression. Her eyebrows had knitted questioningly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Adam looked around at the people surrounding them and asked, "Is there some place we can go to talk privately?"

Adora nodded instantly and turned to whistle. "Spirit," she called out.

Within moments, the white horse appeared and Adora slipped onto its back. "Let's go," she said to her brother before he climbed on. Trotting at a steady pace, Spirit took them away from the camp to a stream Adam knew was in the distance.

=)=)=)

Adora leaned against Spirit's side as the animal drank water from the river. Adam stood a couple of feet away skipping stones across the stream. Adam could feel his sister's gaze planted firmly on him, so he knew she was wondering what was going on, but she was clearly also giving him time to gather his thoughts before the inquisition started.

After he skipped maybe his eighth rock, he finally wiped his hands on his tights and turned to look at her. As suspected, she was scrutinizing him carefully and she hadn't tried to hide it at all once he turned towards her.

Clearing his throat, he held her eyes with his and began. "I'm sorry to come right now and interrupt a time when you should be celebrating with your friends."

Adora arched an eyebrow instantly and stated firmly a few seconds later, "Adam, don't you dare apologize! I gather that something's wrong, and I want you to tell me what it is. You are far more important to me than some party. There will be others, after all, and I only have one brother."

Adam smiled lightly and replied, "Thanks, sis." Once again, they fell back into silence as Adam tried to figure out how to begin. As soon as he sensed Adora's presence beside him and felt her fingers wrap around his lightly, he mumbled, "I don't know how to say this, Adora. I'm afraid I'm not any good at making big reveals. In fact, I completely suck at it."

Adora smiled and laughed loudly. He had no doubt that she was laughing at his terminology. This was definitely the first time he had told her that he "sucked" at something. He grinned and continued, "The truth is I have some good news and some bad news."

"Well, let's start with the good news," Adora said. "I have a feeling that the bad will overshadow the good."

He grimaced and commented, "Ancients, I hope not."

After a few more seconds of standing there quietly, Adora tightened her hold on her brother's hand and whispered, "What is it, brother?"

Sighing, Adam glanced over at her and said, "I'm sorry that I'm only getting around to telling you this now. I realize that I should have earlier, but things just happened so quickly. I didn't have the time to come or anything else really…"

"Okay, Adam, I understand," she said interrupting him. "But, just so I can keep things straight in my mind, what are we talking about? You need to tell me that first."

He looked back at the stream in front of him and said, "The reason why it would be inappropriate for me to find Castaspella when I know she'll flirt with me is because…" He paused for a moment, turned to his sister calmly, and revealed, "I'm married now."

Adora stared at her brother for a second as if he had grown a second head. Then, she blinked rapidly a few times in succession. "Married?" she finally questioned. "You're married? As in _married_ married?"

He rolled his eyes and quipped, "Yes, Adora, I don't know of any other kind of married."

Her mouth dropped open and Adam couldn't tell how she felt about the news aside from the fact that she was surprised. "To whom?" she finally managed to ask.

Without hesitation, he answered, "Teela."

Now, it was time for Adam to be surprised. Adora squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly! "Oh, Adam! That's fantastic news!" She pulled back and exclaimed in a rush, "I was worried for a second there! My mind was jumping to all kinds of crazy conclusions. I thought maybe Father had made you marry some random girl. I know royalty do things like that from time to time. Uh…he didn't make you marry Teela, did he? I mean, it was something you both wanted, right?"

"Yes, we both wanted it," Adam said, still trying to get over the shock that she was so thrilled. She was happier than he had expected her to be since she didn't know Teela all that well.

Almost as if Adora could read his thoughts, she gave a reason for her actions. She smiled brightly and said, "I could tell at our birthday party that you had a thing for Teela. I'm so happy for you, brother." Then, she suddenly slapped at him even though her smile hadn't faded. "Why in the world didn't you tell me this ahead of time? I would have loved to have been at the wedding!" She popped his arm again.

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier," Adam replied. "It all happened so fast and it was such a necessity…"

"A necessity?" Adora questioned. Once again, she got a quizzical look on her face before her jaw dropped. "Teela's not pregnant, is she?"

Adam felt heat rise to his cheeks immediately. "Uh, yes, she is, but that's not…"

Once again, Adam was subjected to more of Adora's squeals. This time she hopped up and down excitedly and exclaimed, "I'm going to be an aunt! Oh, wow!" She hugged her brother. "Wow! What did Mother and Father say? Were they disappointed? What do your people think? Gosh, what does the Sorceress think?"

Adam grabbed onto his sister's shoulders to hold her still. He stared into her eyes and said, "Let me explain, Adora. You're asking too many questions at once. Let's just take a little at a time." When she calmed, he explained, "First of all, we didn't get married because Teela is pregnant. That didn't happen until _after_ the ceremony."

He looked around and saw a large boulder several feet away. He pushed Adora in that direction and said, "Let's sit. This is going to be a long story…"

=)=)=)

Adora had listened to the tale without interrupting. Adam revealed it all: the future with Janice that they had changed, Durriken's involvement, the possibility of Morgoth's release, the Sorceress' death, Teela possibly taking over at Castle Grayskull, and Skeletor finding out about their son." There were just two things he had left out and he was saving them to hopefully brighten her mood if she needed cheering up.

"Wow, brother," Adora said with a shake of her head. "You certainly have been dealing with a lot of pressure recently. I'm surprised you hadn't gone a little crazy by now."

Adam smiled and said, "I can't afford to react that way. I'm a husband now and I'm going to be a father. I have to act accordingly."

"Yeah, but still…"

He interrupted her. "Besides, just the mere thought and sight of A.J. puts everything into perspective. My life with Teela and him…that's what I want."

"A.J.?" she questioned.

He hadn't told her his son's name nor had he told her that he had already "seen" him. That was what he had been holding back and he was glad to tell her now. He grinned and revealed, "That's going to be my son's nickname. Remember when I told you I gained a new ability…that I can read people's thoughts or see the future sometimes like the Sorceress can?" When she nodded, he continued, "Well, in one of those visions, I saw A.J. That's how I first found out about him. He is so beautiful, sis."

Adora immediately hugged her brother and Adam closed his eyes. He didn't tell his sister what he was about to do. He just did it. He connected his mind with his hers and showed the same memory he had shown Teela: of A.J. chasing his pet baby tiger. The only difference was that he allowed the vision to continue to its conclusion. He let her see the pain A.J. and he felt at Teela's absence when they heard the falcon's cry.

When the vision ended, Adora pulled away with tears slipping down her cheeks. "You're right, Adam," she whispered. "He is beautiful. He looks just like you."

When he nodded, she wiped at her cheeks and added, "And, we have to do something, brother. We can't allow Teela's whole life with you and A.J. to be taken away. I know I wouldn't want to be the Sorceress of Grayskull if I had a husband and child at home who couldn't come with me."

He nodded and said, "That's partly why I'm here. I obviously want you there at my second wedding and Teela's coronation, but I would also be so grateful if you could possibly come to Eternia and help when things with Skeletor and Durriken get overwhelming."

"When they get overwhelming?" Adora questioned. "Adam, I'm going back to Eternia with you now, right at this very minute!"

Adam smiled and asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm very sure!" She bounced off the boulder and said, "Come on! Let's go, so I can see my sister-in-law and our parents! We have so much to do and get ready for besides simply preparing for Skeletor and whatever he has planned. The sooner we get started, the better."

The latter was definitely becoming a motto for him and his family.

=)=)=)

Word of Adam and Adora's arrival to the Royal Palace of Eternia spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the whole palace was abuzz about the princess' presence. Of course, from what Adam could hear as he led his sister towards the throne room, it seemed like everyone was of the firm opinion that she was there because of his wedding. He couldn't fault them in that reasoning.

Adora looked around as they walked and moved over closer towards him. "Brother, I don't remember your personnel being quite so chatty the last time I was here. Nor do I remember there being so many present at one time. What's going on?"

Adam shrugged and stated matter-of-factly, "Well, the entire kingdom—and perhaps the planet—knows about the upcoming wedding. That's why they're chatty. As for why so many are working today, we're probably going to have a large crew until Teela's coronation. After all, Father is going to want the palace to be immaculately cleaned. Kings, queens, dignitaries, and hundreds of others will be here for the occasion."

She nodded and silenced as they walked through the throne room doors.

Already, the king and queen were standing on the ground floor in front of their throne. Clearly, they had heard about their daughter's presence and were waiting to greet her.

"Adora!" both parents exclaimed as soon as they saw her.

"Mother! Father!" Adora shouted enthusiastically as she ran towards them. Adam smiled as he watched their reunion, but the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to leave and have one of his own.

Knowing it would be rude if he simply walked out, he called out, "Mother, Father, Sis, I'm going to go and find Teela. I'll be back shortly."

Adora looked uncertain for a second, almost like she was worried about something. Adam assumed she might be thinking that he was annoyed that their greetings were taking so long. If that was the case, he tried his best to alleviate those fears. "I just can't wait to see her!" he exclaimed.

When his family nodded, he immediately went to their bedchambers. When he walked into both of them, he could tell Teela had gone through their belongings and pulled things out, but she wasn't present in either one. That's when he made his way over to their suite. He opened the door and said loudly, "Teela?"

Instantly, he heard someone's voice, but it wasn't his wife's. "Adam!" he heard Orko exclaim. He was shocked, then, to see Cringer shooting out from down the hall towards him.

"Hurry!" the feline nearly shouted.

As fast he could, he followed Cringer into the living room. What he saw almost brought him to his knees: Teela was on the floor with her lower back pressed against the wall. She was hunched over with her arms circling her knees, and it looked like she was crying!

"Ancients!" he exclaimed, immediately alarmed. "Teela, baby!"

Instantly, he rushed to her side and slipped his hands onto her knee and back. "Are you all right?" he questioned frantically as she lifted her head. She didn't answer. She merely wiped away tears, so Adam looked over at Orko, who was floating beside her, and asked almost hysterically, "What happened?"

Orko didn't have time to explain, because within seconds, Teela distracted her husband by wrapping her arms around his neck and sniffling some more. She was obviously trying not to breakdown and it killed him. Quickly, Adam slipped an arm under her legs and around her back to pick her up. He immediately carried her to their bedroom and laid her gently on the bed before looking at Orko and Cringer who had followed him.

He didn't care who told him, but he was determined to find out what was wrong and he was determined to find out now!


	59. What Happened

Teela's Visitor Chapter 59

The world felt like it was crumbling at his feet. He had no idea what was wrong with his wife, but he knew it had to be something huge since Teela was rarely this emotional. His mind supplied all kinds of possibilities and none of them were comforting. When he had first seen her sitting on the floor, his immediate concerns had gone to A.J., but he quickly dismissed those worries. Most women wouldn't have even known they were pregnant this early, much less that they had miscarried. So, it couldn't be that.

He stared at Orko and Cringer and asked again, "What happened?"

Teela grabbed his attention by pulling back from his embrace and mumbling, "I just never believed it would be possible, Adam. I know Father said I would one day know, but I never thought it would happen like this."

Adam placed both of his hands on her upper arms, rubbed them comfortingly with his thumbs, and questioned, "What are you talking about, Teela?"

As she wiped away her tears and took a deep breath to calm herself, Orko flew over and said, "It's Lady Amanda's fault."

Instantly, Adam's eyes darkened as he turned to look at the Trollan. "What do you mean?"

"After you left to go to Etheria, King Randor dismissed Lady Amanda from court for the next two weeks," Orko explained. "He said that her behavior and accusations against the future Princess of Eternia were outrageous and deplorable. He then announced that you two were getting married next week. Lady Amanda didn't like that at all. I had a _bad_ feeling when she stormed out, so I followed her. She came to the Royal Wing where she saw Teela."

Adam knew where this was going. He turned back to his wife and asked, "What did she say to you? Whatever it was, it's not true, Teela. Lady Amanda is simply jealous—you must know that."

Teela nodded as she looked down at her hands, almost as if she were embarrassed. "I know she's jealous, Adam, but what she said…it hit me pretty hard. She said that I wasn't good enough for you, that my own mother hadn't even wanted me and…"

Adam jumped off the bed and stated firmly, "I'll take care of this!" He started to leave the room until Teela yelled out to stop him.

"Adam, please don't leave, not now! I need you!"

He looked back at her and she extended her hand towards him. When he returned to their bed, he took her hand, sat down, and replied, "She can't get away with this, Teela. If Father knew, I'm sure he'd banish her from the kingdom indefinitely."

Teela closed her eyes and shook her head. "What she said isn't what upset me, not really. She said those things, and yes, they hurt, but I knew why she was saying them. I've always known she was interested in you; I'm not blind." She paused and whispered, "What bothered me the most was the Sorceress."

Adam widened his eyes. He had seen the Sorceress earlier and she hadn't mentioned anything, which meant this confrontation—or at least her part in it—had occurred _after_ he had left Castle Grayskull. "What about her?" he prompted when his wife had gone silent.

"She spoke to me telepathically," she whispered. "She never had before and it shocked me at first. She then proceeded to tell me that what Lady Amanda said wasn't true and that my mother had wanted me very much."

Adam squeezed her hand and said comfortingly, "Well, that's a good thing, right?"

She shrugged and answered, "I suppose, but then the Sorceress asked me a question I wasn't prepared for: she asked if I were ready to meet my mother." Tears slipped down her cheeks and she wiped them away irritably. "She told me that my mother is still alive and that if I were ready, it is possible that she and I could meet and talk." She shook her head and cried, "I didn't know what to say! For so long, I dreamed of meeting my mother! I've thought about asking her why she gave me up and why she stayed away for so long, but in that second, all I wanted to do was hide!"

Adam slipped his arms around her and held her tightly. "It's okay, Teela," he mumbled. "It's okay to feel that way. Meeting your mother is a huge deal and if you're not ready, then you're not. No one is going to force you to do anything that you don't want to do, I promise you that."

As soon as those words were uttered, Adam felt the Sorceress enter his mind. " _I didn't know my words would upset her so much, Prince Adam. I heard what Lady Amanda said to her and I thought about what you had said earlier. I believed it would be wise to let Teela decide what she wanted. I'm so sorry to have distressed her._ "

Adam gave the Sorceress a mental nod as Teela pulled back from their embrace and said, "I still don't know what I want to do. Part of me wants to meet her to ask those questions, but what if I don't like the answers? What if they upset me? I didn't even know the mere possibility of meeting her would affect me so deeply." She looked down and placed a hand over her abdomen. "I have to think about A.J., and I know staying calm, especially so early in the pregnancy, is a must. My immediate family is my number one concern now. My mother chose not to be a part of my life a long time ago, so I can't and won't put her first now…"

Adam placed his hand over hers and replied, "A.J. is strong. I think he'll be fine no matter what you decide. Besides, you won't go through this alone. I'm going to be there beside you every step of the way. If you decide to meet her, it's not putting your mother ahead of me or A.J. I think it might actually do you some good to hear what she has to say. Now that you're pregnant, you might be able to relate to whatever made her do…what she did."

"But what if I don't? What if I disagree with her actions and reasons?" She looked legitimately fearful.

"At least you'll know why," he reasoned as he placed his hand on her cheek and rubbed it tenderly.

She nodded and said, "I'll meet her when I'm ready. Not today, though." She didn't look too sure.

Adam smiled despite the clear signs of her hesitancy and remarked, "That's my girl." He then leaned forward and kissed her lips softly.

=)=)=)

Adam didn't leave his suite right away. He knew his parents and sister would probably wonder what had happened to him, but he couldn't leave Teela in such a state. In fact, he didn't want to leave her at all, no matter what state of mind she was in, period. Besides, he knew Orko and Cringer would tell them where they were if they began to worry too much, anyway…

"So, how did things go with Adora?" Teela asked, successfully interrupting his thoughts. They were currently in bed, simply lying there and facing one another.

He grinned, wove their fingers together slowly as if fascinated by her hands, and answered, "Better than anticipated. She was very excited when she discovered you and I were married and that she's going to be an aunt."

When Teela smiled, he added, "She's here, you know. She decided to come back to Eternia with me right away."

She arched an eyebrow and asked, "And, you're in here with me?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "Uh, yes. Teela, you're my wife. Your wants and needs come first, and besides, right now I want nothing more than to spend some quality time with my wife and child." He scooted closer to her and bent his head a little to kiss under her chin. He then placed one of his hands on her hip and pushed gently to get her to lie on her back.

"Spend time with your wife and child, huh?" she said with a smirk and then gasped as he trailed his fingertips up her side to the clasp that held her armor together. Without responding, he unlocked it and made her sit up so he could pull the metal from her body. She complied with his wishes without any complaints, so he didn't hesitate to push her back down and hover his torso over hers so he could lean down and kiss her neck softly again.

Finally, he spoke. "Well, I thought you would approve…" He moved his lips down to the hollow of her throat and began to suck lightly. Just as his lips rose to touch hers once more and Teela's hips pushed against his almost desperately, a knock was heard on their bedroom door.

"Adam? Teela?" a voice called out.

Adam groaned and immediately dropped his head to his wife's shoulder. "Yes, Man-at-Arms?" he called out. His voice was muffled by his actions.

"Is everything okay?" He could hear the concern laced throughout Duncan's words, so he knew he shouldn't be upset or annoyed with his mentor. The elder had every right to be nervous with all the recent happenings in the palace. "You're not with your sister and I know Teela wouldn't purposely keep you away, so I thought I should check on you…"

Adam lifted his head and winked at his wife playfully. "Sure, you would," he whispered. "You just want to keep me all to yourself. So selfish!"

He laughed as she narrowed her eyes at him and pushed him away from her. He slowly got off the bed, giving Teela time to put on her armor, and then opened the door. "Everything's fine," he said as soon as he saw Duncan's anxious expression.

Man-at-Arms looked past Adam to his daughter who was walking towards them. She circled her arms around her husband's waist from behind and pressed her cheek against his right shoulder. "Why do you look like you don't believe us?" she questioned.

Duncan was frowning at them and his forehead had wrinkled as if he were confused. "Orko and Cringer told me what had happened earlier."

Adam sighed, not really wanting to get into that, but stated anyway, "Lady Amanda's actions were disgraceful and she will be dealt with personally, but for now Teela and I are focusing on the here and now. We have enough to deal with without worrying about that particular courtier's immaturity and jealousy."

Duncan nodded and finally smiled as a look of relief crossed his features. "That's good to hear, because we have a lot to do before the wedding and coronation next week. Speaking of which, that's another reason why I'm here. Your mother wants to see both of you right away. The Royal Seamstress, Adora, and she are in her sitting chamber; they want to get your measurements."

Adam cocked a brow and commented, "But they have them already. We were measured for the ball not long ago."

"Your mother wants everything to be perfect, so she needs to be sure there hasn't been any weight loss or gain with all the excitement going on around here."

Adam looked back at Teela hesitantly and asked, "Are you up to it?"

She grabbed his hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and answered, "I'm fine."

He studied her face for a few seconds, trying to confirm her words by her expression. She must have known what he was looking for, because she suddenly smiled at him.

"Okay, then. Let's go." He followed Man-at-Arms through their suite and into the Royal Hall. Without a word, Adam led Teela to his parents' chambers. He knocked lightly on the door and entered without waiting for anyone to answer, which caused Teela to gasp.

"ADAM!" she exclaimed as he practically dragged her into the room. "Shouldn't we have waited until the queen gave us permission to enter?"

Adam looked surprised at her words, especially when his mother, who stood from her seat across the room, laughed.

"Oh, Teela, I don't think that has ever occurred to Adam," the queen remarked. "He's just like his father; you're lucky he even bothered to knock at all. He never has before." She approached them and continued to explain, "Adam was raised in these rooms until we felt he was old enough to have his own bedchambers, so I suppose he still thinks of his father's and my suite as 'his', too."

He blushed deeply and the queen chuckled.

Adora laughed as she bounced over to him and teased, "I never knew you were so inconsiderate, brother!"

He shrugged lightly and tried to defend himself even though he could tell they were simply trying to get a rise out of him. "Well, you never corrected me, Mother. I didn't realize I was doing it, actually."

She grinned and wrapped her hands around his arm. "Oh, we don't mind. Randor and I get so amused when you walk in sometimes. We've learned to lock our bedchambers, because Lord knows…"

Adam widened his eyes and exclaimed, "I've never tried to go into your actual bedchamber unannounced! I'm not _that_ crazy!"

"Well, there was that one time when you were twelve…" Marlena began.

"MOM!"

Even Teela had to laugh at the interaction. Adam's face was now darker than his tunic and it seemed to be getting worse by the second.

The queen ignored her son's embarrassment and walked them over to the center of the room where Taylor, the seamstress, stood with her measuring equipment. "Good afternoon, Your Highness," she greeted Adam, who was grateful for the distraction.

=)=)=)

It took a matter of seconds to get Adam's measurements. Taylor made quick work of it, but as soon as she asked Teela what she wanted her wedding dress to look like and his wife shrugged indecisively, he knew it would take a lot longer for her than it did for him. He settled into the couch where his mother had been sitting earlier and watched as the queen and Adora asked Teela specifics about what she would prefer stylistically.

He was almost surprised that they were letting him stay in the room while they decided all of this, but then he realized that since Teela and he were already married, it would be silly to hide any of it from him. " _That cat is already out of the bag, so to speak_ ," he thought with a smile. Besides, he was grateful to be there every time Teela glanced his way. He knew with certainty that all of this would have been awkward for her if he hadn't been there, too. To reassure her, he would wink at her or nod that he liked her choices every time their eyes met, and she'd smile.

Eventually, his mother walked away from his wife as Taylor measured Teela's arms for gloves. She joined him on the couch and patted his knee softly. "Your wife makes excellent choices," she commented.

Adam grinned and joked, "Well, she did choose to marry me, so I can't deny that. I quite agree."

As Teela's eyes met his once more, the queen squeezed his kneecap and said firmly, "But, I can tell something's wrong; you two aren't quite acting like yourselves today. Are you and Teela upset about what took place in court earlier? Your father took care of Lady Amanda and…"

Adam quickly shook his head and assured her, "No, no, it isn't that. Well, not really…"

"Then, what is it? Talk to me, son."

He stared at his mother for a few seconds as he bit his lip, contemplating if he should really tell her what was happening. Deciding to open up a little, he replied, "Teela…she's going through a lot right now emotionally because of her pregnancy. She's nervous about being a mother." He glanced unsurely at his wife. He didn't know if he should be discussing her concerns with anyone at all right now.

Marlena slipped her hand into his and said, "I can imagine it would be very nerve-wracking for her. I'm sure she has a lot of questions about her own mother because of it."

Adam's jaw dropped open when he heard the queen's words. He didn't know why he was so surprised, though. His mother had always been a very keen observer and an intelligent woman. Clearing his throat, he whispered, "She does, and you don't know how badly I want to answer them for her. I truly think she would be a lot calmer about so many things going on right now if she knew the truth, but…I can't."

He didn't know how long he remained silent after that or how long he stared at his wife, but eventually, he felt his mother's gaze, so he turned to look at her. Once again, he was surprised by what he saw: she was scrutinizing him intently. Her eyes moved frantically across his face and she pursed her lips firmly as if she were in deep thought.

"What do you know?" she mumbled finally.

"What?" he asked, slightly louder than he meant to. He noticed then that Teela and Adora looked towards them as the seamstress measured the crown of Teela's head. He grinned at them calmly before turning his attention back to his mother so they wouldn't be alarmed.

The queen didn't look away or shy from the question. She squinted her eyes at her son and asked softer than before, "Do you know the truth about Teela's mother?"

Adam froze as his mind ran over the words he had said earlier. He was sure he hadn't given any indication that he actually knew the answers to Teela's questions, so he wasn't sure why his mother was looking so suspiciously at him now. He stared back at her and said the only thing he could safely say: "Do you?"

Marlena smirked and said, "Now, son, that isn't an answer. I asked first."

Adam laughed and looked away from her. He then decided to fall back on old tactics he used when people questioned him about He-Man or his whereabouts when he was missing during battles. "Oh, well…you know, uh, uh…no, Teela and I wondered when we were kids, uh, and now, we're grown, and ah…" He shrugged and chuckled again. Usually when he answered questions so vaguely, it annoyed people and they simply gave up trying to gleam any more information out of him.

On this occasion, Marlena continued to stare at him and he wondered just what his mother knew before she muttered, "I know what it's like to lose a daughter; it's very difficult. But of course, I didn't give Adora up willingly and I didn't have the opportunity to watch her grow up from afar. But then again, maybe that would be a worse torture, to see and not truly be a part of it. In any case, I wish her mother would step forward and tell the truth. I think it's long overdue."

=)=)=)


	60. What the Queen Knows

Teela's Visitor Chapter 60

It was as subtle as the hum of a bee against his ear. He heard the sound—he heard her words, and he knew it could bring about all kinds of chaos. His mother knew the Sorceress' secret! How long had she known? When did she figure it out? How did she guess that he also knew?

He knew he shouldn't be surprised in the slightest even though his mother had always managed to do exactly that. She had always been able to read him and his father like a book. It was at times like this when he wondered if she really did know _his_ secret. She had implied it a few times before like she was implying that she knew the Sorceress' now. At those times, he took her words in stride and didn't focus on them too much. It was partly because he didn't want to know the answer. He kind of liked the idea that his mother knew that he was He-Man. That would mean she approved and that she was proud of him and how he handled himself. That meant a lot, and it had given him a lot of peace of mind. He didn't want to give that up, so he never asked her outright if she knew. He wanted to keep believing it.

Now, the question was whether he should pursue this discussion or not. It would be great to have someone to talk to if she did, indeed, know that the Sorceress was Teela's mother, because sometimes he was at a loss as to what he was supposed to do and feel. Most of the time, he felt extraordinarily guilty. He had married Teela. He promised to love and protect her; he considered her his best friend. He promised her there would be no more secrets, and yet, there was one that he held back, because this secret wasn't technically his to share. Sometimes, it made him feel like he was betraying her by not telling her all that he knew. Having his mother's input on the subject would be a tremendous help…

He looked at her hopefully and mumbled, "Mother, it sounds like you know who she is." He swallowed slowly and whispered, "Will you tell me?"

The queen sighed and finally turned her head away from her son. "And, now you make me doubt myself and my conclusions about what you know. I promised never to tell the secret and if you don't already know…" She shook her head.

As his mother's voice trailed off, Adam's mouth dropped open. "What?" he gasped softly. He glanced over at Teela before looking back. "She knows you know? She made you promise not to tell?"

Marlena smiled then and questioned, "Why the shock? Sometimes it astounds me what you believe your father and I do not know." When his eyes widened, she laughed and continued, "Adam, don't forget that your father and I have known the Sorceress a lot longer than you, and we've all had secrets together that the majority of the planet doesn't know…Adora was one, for example."

Adam stood abruptly and grabbed his mother's hand. He pulled her to her feet and then turned to look at his wife and sister. "Teela. Adora. Mother and I need to go handle something. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Before either could respond, he pulled the queen from the room. They walked to his bedchambers and he gestured for her to go inside when he opened the door. Once he shut the door behind them, he locked it as his mother sat on the edge of his bed and looked up at him expectantly.

"You know the Sorceress is Teela's mother?" he questioned abruptly, sounding completely dumbfounded.

The queen patted the bed beside her and replied, "As you clearly also know."

Adam practically stumbled across the room and then flopped down unceremoniously onto the bed. He faced forward and questioned, "How long have you known?"

She squeezed his hand almost sympathetically and said, "Adam, we've known since the beginning. You know as well as I do that Duncan and Randor are best friends. We were bound to ask questions when he showed up with a baby girl in tow."

Adam turned startled eyes toward her. "Father knows, too?"

"Of course he does. We've trusted the Sorceress with many of our secrets over the years and she's trusted us…just like she's trusted you. From my understanding, the Sorceress of Grayskull—no matter who she was in the past—always had close ties with the Royal Family of Eternia for various reasons."

He nodded but chose to ignore _why_ those close ties existed now on his part. Instead, he replied, "The truth is I never thought about it. I never contemplated what you and Father did or didn't know in regards to Teela. I had just assumed she had only told Man-at-Arms. _I_ didn't even know until a few years ago."

Queen Marlena tightened her hold on his hand and commented, "I imagine it's been hard for you to not tell Teela, especially during this time."

He nodded rapidly and exclaimed, "YES!" He turned towards her and continued, "I feel so guilty at times. Then, there are other times when I feel like telling her would help on so many different levels. She would know that she was loved and that her mother never really left her. Not to mention, it would give Teela someone to turn to during this pregnancy if she ever needed to talk. She knows I'm here for her, but I'm not a woman and I can imagine she will want to talk about her experiences with someone who has been through it all before eventually."

Marlena draped her arm around her son's shoulders and said, "I will help Teela any way that I can, my son, whether the Sorceress does tell her the truth or not. Rest assured, though, that Randor and I will be there for you both. We're both eager to get started, actually."

Adam smiled then and said, "I know that already." He leaned his head against hers and whispered, "I just wish things were so much simpler. I wish I could have courted Teela without any threats to our relationship. And, I wish she could go through this pregnancy with both her mother and father by her side. I also wish there weren't so many threats to Eternia, us, and our future. I just want nothing but happiness for her and sometimes I think all I do is bring her heartache and pain."

The queen pulled away when she heard her son's words and stated sharply, "Adam, something tells me Teela wouldn't have it any other way. If a little heartache is what she must go through to be with you, then I think she's glad to go through it. I see the way she looks at you. She's always looked at you that way. She loves you, son, so don't get any ideas in your head that she'd be better off without you. You and Teela are meant for each other just as much as Randor and I were." She chuckled and said, "Randor and I lived on two different planets and yet God found a way for us to find one another. I have faith that things are going to continue to work out for you and Teela. It might be rocky. Your lives might not always be filled with happiness, but you'll make it through everything life tosses at you together. Never doubt that."

He nodded and then breathed deeply. "So, keep trudging through." He was telling himself this just as much as getting confirmation from the queen. When his mother nodded, he stood and said, "I bet Teela and Adora are wondering if something's wrong. We better get back."

Queen Marlena stood and agreed, "Yes, we should. Who knows what kind of crazy decisions your sister and wife will make without my being there to approve it!"

Adam laughed as his mother hurried to the door despite already knowing that she would make sure everything was ran by her before anyone lifted a finger to do anything anyway.

=)=)=)

Adam stood behind Teela and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. They stood on "their" balcony and watched the sun go down in the west. The sky was filled with a variety of colors: red, orange, purple, pink, and black. Clouds floated over the two moons, which casted shadows all over Eternos and the land farther out. It was a beautiful thing to behold and something they had seen many times before. The moment was special, though, because they felt like they hadn't done this in forever. So much had happened since the last time they had been here.

"What are you thinking about?" Adam asked as he slipped his head over her shoulder and kissed her neck lightly. Teela was uncharacteristically quiet, so he knew something had to be on her mind and with everything that had been happening, it could be anything. He ran his hands lightly over her abdomen and pulled her backside against him more firmly. He wanted her to feel safe, protected, and loved.

She laughed a little at his words and admitted, "A lot, actually: you, me, A.J., Durriken, Morgoth, the coronation, the wedding…my mother. Take your pick."

He lifted his head and kissed her temple. "That's quite a list. What do you want to talk about?"

She turned around slowly and wrapped her arms around his waist in return. She pressed her chest against his and leaned her neck all the way back, so she could still look at him.

Adam took advantage of her actions by leaning down and kissing her softly. Their lips pressed together and then peeled away gently when they pulled back to stare into each other's eyes once more.

Teela smiled and answered, "I don't know. Sometimes I feel like talking makes it all the more real, so it would be best to keep quiet."

He frowned and then tightened his arms around her as she rested her head on his left shoulder. "Do you regret getting married?" he asked. "Do you regret being pregnant?"

The questions clearly startled Teela, because she suddenly stiffened and pulled back abruptly. "What? No!" she exclaimed as she ran her fingers under Adam's chin to make him look at her. "I didn't mean it like that. I love you and A.J. I would never regret any of our decisions. I was thinking more about Morgoth and my mother." She shook her head. "Not to mention, I'm pretty nervous about the coronation. What if I forget what I'm supposed to say and end up staring at your father like some nitwit courtier?"

Adam smiled and said, "Then, we'll all get a good chuckle and have a funny story to share with A.J. when he gets older."

When she widened her eyes in surprise, he laughed and said, "Teela, the family is not going to suddenly disown you because you get nervous. The coronation is also our wedding, supposedly, so people are going to expect us to be a little flustered. Besides, I'll be right beside you the entire time. I'll slip you a few words if you freeze up, but I doubt that will even happen. We are going to have a lot of rehearsals ahead of time if my mother has any say in the matter, which she does _unfortunately_." Adam laughed softly and then rolled his eyes, trying to make light of everything that would be happening very soon.

Teela responded by breathing deeply and hugging him again. She then muffled against his chest, "You always know exactly the right thing to say."

He squeezed her tightly and replied, "Well, I do try, and I'll continue to try for the rest of our lives."

When Teela pulled back and they stared into each other's eyes once more, a cough was heard from inside the hall.

Adam sighed and turned around to see Adora standing there. Her cheeks were a little flushed from embarrassment and she was tapping the toe of her left boot behind her right nervously.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said softly without looking at either of them, "but Mother and Father sent me to find you. Dinner is about to start."

Adam looked back down at Teela and noticed she looked a little pink, as well. He slipped his arm around his wife comfortingly and then smiled at Adora as they walked inside the palace.


	61. Teela's Safety

Teela's Visitor Chapter 61

Adam couldn't be more thankful that the day was finally coming to an end.

Hand-in-hand, Teela and he walked into their suite and went straight to their bedroom. This was their first night staying there at the behest of Man-at-Arms. Actually, he was thankful for the suggestion. He had to agree with his father-in-law that their usual bedchambers were a little too easily accessible from those balconies. The balcony in their new chambers was attached to the living room as opposed to where they would sleep and that, at least, would provide some protection at night while resting.

He hated that they needed protection right now, and the truth was they needed it more than ever, especially her.

He thought about the favor he had asked of the Sorceress earlier. It was looking more and more like it would have to be done: Teela might end up having to seek refuge in Castle Grayskull with the Sorceress. It was ironic considering how badly he wanted her future to _not_ include living in that castle, but he might not have any other choice.

Then, he thought about how awkward it would be for both the Sorceress and his wife. Teela was now quite aware that the Sorceress knew who her mother was and well…the Sorceress already told him how hard it would be if Teela lived under the same roof with her again. Ideally, he didn't want his wife moving into Grayskull so he wouldn't have to worry about these things, but he had to be realistic: he had unknowingly told Skeletor about their marriage and A.J. Teela would be a valuable prisoner for Skeletor to obtain…If that villain ever got his hands on her, Adam didn't know what he would do.

He was startled out of his thoughts by something brushing across his chin. Jumping slightly, he smiled when he noticed Teela had walked in front of him and was peering up into his eyes. "Hey, where were you a second ago?" she asked softly as she dropped her hand to his waist.

Slipping his arms around her tightly, he admitted, "On you. I was thinking about everything that's happened and the future…" He didn't want to lie to her and he didn't, but he tried to sound nonchalant so she wouldn't think his thoughts were a big deal. Too bad she knew him too well.

She grimaced slightly and said, "Well, you didn't look too happy about it."

Now, he had to chastise himself. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her. "Don't mind me, Teela. Worrying is a bad habit that I have. I've done it for years, so it is hard not to."

Teela trailed her hand up his side and down his arm until they clasped each other's hands tightly. "I don't know how I missed it," she mumbled.

"Missed what?"

She chuckled a little, but he could tell it wasn't from amusement at all. It was self-ridicule. "How could I have been so blind, Adam? I still can't get over it. We've been friends since infancy and I never realized that the world was on your shoulders until recently. This isn't the first time I've noticed this look on you. I saw it before I even knew you were He-Man, but I thought you had foolishness on your mind. I didn't know. I just…"

Adam lifted a hand to her cheek and tilted his head to the side as he stared at her. "Teela, we've been over this," he whispered. "I need you to stop worrying about it. I don't blame you for how I was treated. I encouraged that behavior from everyone. I'm the one who made the decision to act irresponsibly." When she looked like she was going to contradict him, he said, "But let's not talk about that. It's in the past. It's done and over with. _You_ know the truth now and that's all I could ever ask for."

Teela grinned and looked down as she felt a flush come to her cheeks. Sighing, she looked up and said, "So, what were you thinking about specifically?"

Now, he seriously had to debate with himself. Did he want to tell the truth? It was a question that made him cringe, because he had already promised her that there wouldn't be any more secrets and here he was trying to withhold information—information that wouldn't necessarily give the Sorceress' secret away, so he had no real excuse to not tell her.

Giving in, he replied, "I was thinking about the possibility of putting you in a safe house."

"A safe house?" she questioned loudly. She pulled back from him sharply. "Where on Eternia did you get such an idea? What are you talking about?"

Sighing, he shook his head when he realized they were probably about to have a fight. "I'm not saying we're going to do it. I'm just thinking about it in case we have to. Skeletor knows about you and A.J. He's going to be coming after you eventually, and I want you both safe."

Teela crossed her arms stubbornly and said, "We're always in danger, Adam. That comes with the territory, you know that, and…"

"But now it's doubled for you!" he cried. "Look, Teela, I didn't say I was shipping you off right away. I'm just trying to be prepared in case it comes down to it."

She still didn't seem too happy, but she asked calmly, "Where? Where is this safe house? Obviously, you have already picked a location out since you were thinking about it so intensely."

Swallowing nervously, he replied, "Castle Grayskull. The Sorceress said you could stay if the need arises. It's the safest place I could think of right now."

Teela frowned and snapped, "That's one place I definitely _do not_ want to go!"

Now, it was Adam's turn to be confused. "Why ever not?"

Teela lifted her chin obstinately and spat, "The more I learn about the Sorceress, the angrier I get!"

Adam widened his eyes. He had no idea that Teela was developing such a negative opinion about her own mother. "What?" he asked, clearly shocked. "Why?"

Teela wrinkled her face and nearly yelled her response at him. "She is responsible for a great many things that could have had different outcomes if she had only done the right thing!"

He still didn't know what she was talking about. "What do you mean, Teela? The Sorceress has always tried to do good. She's helped me fight against Skeletor and she has sacrificed more than you know for this planet. She deserves nothing but gratitude from us."

"Gratitude?" she spat. "Adam, can you honestly say that's all she deserves? _You_ might have forgotten what she did to you, but I haven't."

"What she did to me?"

"YES! Remember, she didn't help you hide your identity! _She_ made you suffer alone! She made Father and you promise not to tell anyone about your secret! _She_ made Father promise not to help you with hiding it, as well! _She's_ the one who doesn't tell you things about your own gifts as He-Man! _She_ wants you to figure it out on your own like it's some damn game!"

"Teela," Adam said sternly when he saw how upset she was getting. He knew when she discovered the truth about the Sorceress and herself, she might regret this little speech, so he wanted to stop her. Plus, he wanted her calm for A.J.'s sake. "Please don't…" he continued but was cut off.

"And…and…she's known about my mother all these years and never even hinted once that she knew! How could she do that to me? Then, she comes _now_ and offers to tell me who she is and set up a meeting! _Now_?When so much is going on? Where was this information last year or the year before that? Or at any time?" She shook her head.

Adam could see tears swell in her eyes and he reached out to hug her. "Teela," he said again softly, trying to get a word in, but she still wouldn't let him.

She collapsed in arms and insisted, "I don't want to stay with her, Adam, so don't make me do it. I don't think I could play nice with her if you did. Besides, I'm not made of glass. I'll be fine here at the palace. I can protect myself. Furthermore, I don't want to be there alone without you."

Adam closed his eyes as he leant down to kiss her forehead. He did this slowly to calm her. When he pulled away, he whispered reassuringly, "I would go with you, Teela. You wouldn't be alone."

She gasped.

"I told you we'd find a way to make all of this work. I'm not the King of Eternia, yet, and hopefully that won't happen for a long, long time. I'm not tied to the palace right now like I one day will be. If I move you into Grayskull for your safety, I'll go, too, I promise." He forced himself to smile and added, "And, I'm sure the Sorceress would like that: having the castle's champion within its walls. If Skeletor showed up, we'd certainly fend him off a lot quicker."

"But what if he attacks the palace instead?"

He smiled, knowing already that she was a little calmer about the idea even though he knew she still didn't like it. "The palace does have a Royal Guard, you know. Besides, Adora is here, which means She-Ra is also here, and the Sorceress can send me to the palace quickly…"

Teela hugged him again and whispered, "It's just one thing after another. I have a feeling it's going to happen."

He raised a brow and said, "Teela."

"No," she interrupted calmly, "I'm not just being paranoid. I have…this feeling that somehow I'm going to end up in Castle Grayskull no matter what we do. Will we even get to have the coronation next week? Will we even have our practices for the wedding? Maybe we should cancel…"

Adam effectively cut off her questions by kissing her passionately. He pressed his lips against hers firmly and then ran his tongue along her mouth to gain entrance. When he was through silencing her, he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers, "We're going to have the coronation, the wedding, and more, but I won't lie to you: we might have some complications from Skeletor or Durriken at any time during this process—I can't promise you that it won't happen—but we can't delay these courting formalities or put our lives on hold." He placed the back of his fingers across her abdomen and rubbed gently. "A.J.'s not waiting and we want to give the appearance that he was conceived on or after the coronation. That means we don't have a lot of time, and besides, I want everyone to know you're my wife and I cannot wait to make you my princess officially."

He then reached up and slipped her headpiece off. He waved it in front of her before tossing it behind him dismissively. "And, I can't wait for you to trade that for an actual tiara, and…"

He wanted to say more. He also wanted to take off more of Teela's apparel, but before he could the palace alarms suddenly sounded. Turning around abruptly, he looked towards the bedroom door startled, before he ran out of it, intent on finding out what was going on. He was unaware that Teela was following him through their suite until she called out, "ADAM!"

Before he opened the door, he turned back to her and stated forcefully, "Go back to our bedchamber and get in the closet!"

"Adam!" she complained, widening her eyes at his suggestion. "There's no way I'm…"

He growled in frustration and snapped, "Just do it, okay? None of our enemies know we've moved out of our chambers into this one yet! They won't know to look here! You'll be safe!"

"But Adam, you can't expect me to hide and not help!"

He gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, I can! You promised me to not put yourself in harm's way! And, remember, staying safe keeps me safe, because then I don't have to worry about you!"

Teela folded her arms as she frowned and cried, "You don't fight fair when we argue about this!"

He nodded and agreed, "No, I don't. Not when it comes to your life and A.J.'s. Now, go!"

Before hearing her answer, he pulled the Power Sword from his back and turned into He-Man. Once the transformation was finished, he pointed to the bedroom. Teela turned around angrily and stomped off in that direction.

Upturning his lips slightly despite the fact that he knew he would be in the doghouse later, he opened his chamber door and ran into the hall. He could see soldiers running in the distance. They were gathering at the end of the hall and blocking off this area of the palace, so he knew someone had definitely broken inside. Increasing his speed, he ran down the hall to see what was going on when suddenly he felt lightheaded.

Slowing down to a walk, He-Man touched his head with one hand as he reached out and pressed into the wall with the other. The world swirled around him and he recognized the telltale signs of a vision coming…

_Teela stomped away as he ran out of the room. She looked both angry and worried. Without any pause in her actions, she flung their bedchamber door open and stepped inside. She turned around briefly to shut and lock it. She then turned to go to the closet and suddenly gasped. Someone was behind her, and He-Man recognized him right away:_

_Durriken!_


End file.
